Cleveland, Ohio – Five Northwest Conference institutions earned placement in the 2025–26 Division III LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup fall standings following the conclusion of fall sports competition.
The LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup, developed by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) in partnership with USA Today, awards points to colleges and universities based on their teams’ finishes at NCAA Championships across up to 18 varsity sports. Standings are released at various points throughout the academic year.
Northwest Conference Highlights
The University of Puget Sound leads the Northwest Conference in the fall standings with 50 points, ranking 97th nationally. The Loggers earned their points with a 17th-place finish in women’s soccer after securing the NWC’s automatic qualifier.
George Fox University is ranked 128th with 32 points, following a 33rd-place finish in men’s cross country.
Pacific Lutheran University, Whitman College, and Whitworth University are tied for 133rd place with 25 points apiece. Pacific Lutheran earned its points with a 33rd-place finish in volleyball, Whitman secured points with a 33rd-place finish in men’s soccer, and Whitworth rounded out the group with a 33rd-place finish in football.
National Standings
Nationally, Tufts University leads all Division III institutions with 485 points, followed by Johns Hopkins University with 454.5 points, and Washington University in St. Louis in third with 358.5 points.
The fall standings represent only a portion of the overall Directors’ Cup scoring. Additional points from winter and spring championships will be added before final standings are determined. The final fall standings for both Division I and Division III are scheduled to be published following the conclusion of the NCAA Division III Football Championship in January.