TAMPA, Fla. (July 1, 2025) – The University of South Florida athletics department reached a historic milestone with the release of the final 2024–25 Learfield Directors' Cup standings, finishing first among all American Athletic Conference institutions for the first time in program history.
USF ranked No. 78 overall, totaling 294.75 points, the second-highest score in school history behind its 350-point campaign in 2015–16.
The Bulls also placed second among all Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools outside the Power Four conferences, trailing only New Mexico (No. 49). USF finished ahead of several Power Four programs, including Kansas State (No. 79), Rutgers (No. 80), UCF (No. 83) and Cincinnati (No. 125).
A dominant year in track and field led the way, with the program contributing 113.25 points, the highest total of any USF sport. Men's golf followed with 49 points, and USF also earned Directors' Cup points in football, women's basketball, softball and men's tennis.
"This is a tremendous moment of pride for USF Athletics," said Interim Vice President for Athletics, Jay Stroman. "Finishing atop the American for the first time ever, and competing with top programs nationally, is a testament to the incredible commitment of our student-athletes, coaches and staff. We are building sustained excellence, and this year's results show just how far we've come and how high we're aiming."
USF claimed American Athletic Conference championships in volleyball, women's basketball, softball, and men's indoor and outdoor track and field during the 2024–25 season.
In addition, the football team won the Hawai'i Bowl, becoming one of 15 programs nationwide to win back-to-back bowl or College Football Playoff games in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. Women's basketball, softball, men's tennis, men's golf, and men's indoor and outdoor track and field programs all made NCAA postseason appearances. The men's indoor track and field team finished 21st in the final national standings, while the outdoor team placed 14th. The men's 4x400-meter relay team capped the season with a national championship.
The Learfield Directors' Cup, administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), annually recognizes the most successful collegiate athletics programs in the country based on NCAA postseason performance across all sports.
Complete standings and the scoring structure are available at www.directorscup.org.
