General | 6/12/2026 10:00:00 AM
SUNY Geneseo, St. John Fisher University, Nazareth University, Elmira College, Utica University, SUNY Brockport, Russell Sage College, Alfred University, Hartwick College and Keuka College represented the Empire 8 Conference in the final 2025-26 LEARFIELD Directors' Cup Standings. A total of 317 Division III institutions were represented throughout the 2025-26 season.
The LEARFIELD Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and
USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships.
SUNY Geneseo finished 30th nationally in the final standings with 558.5 points. The Knights won Empire 8 Championships in men's cross country, women's cross country, field hockey and men's soccer during the fall, added men's indoor track and field, women's indoor track and field, men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving and women's basketball during the winter season. In the spring, the Knights won the men's and women's outdoor track and field titles.
Geneseo's men's distance medley relay team won the national title in the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships, while the men's 4 x 400-meter relay team struck gold at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In addition, Ryan Hagan won the 1,500-meters and was runner-up in the 800-meters at the outdoor championships to highlight a fourth-place team finish for the Knights at nationals.
Both the Geneseo men's indoor and women's indoor track and field squads placed seventh overall as a team at nationals. The Knights had a host of All-Americans during the winter season at the indoor track and field and swimming and diving championships, while the women's basketball team advanced to the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. During the fall, Geneseo placed second overall at the 2025 NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship.
St. John Fisher jumped from 130th to 91st in the final standings on the strength of a dominant spring season. Both St. John Fisher men's and women's lacrosse teams won the Empire 8 Championship and moved onto the NCAA tournament. In addition, the Cardinals men's golf team won its fifth straight E8 Championship and St. John Fisher's men's tennis program won its first Empire 8 Championship in program history, as both teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament. St. John Fisher won Empire 8 Championships in women's soccer and women's volleyball during the fall and competed in the NCAA Championship Tournament in both sports. St. John Fisher ended the year with 222 total points.
Nazareth University earned 21.5 points in the spring highlighted by a First Team All-American honors from Isabel Morse (fifth) in the women's pole vault and Graeden Heichberger (eighth) in the shot put. The Golden Flyers finished jumped into 158th place nationally with 111.5 points in 2025-26. During the winter, Nazareth'swomen's ice hockey team made an historic run, finishing as 2026 NCAA DIvision III Women's Ice Hockey Championship runners-up, advancing to the title game and finishing the season with a 27-2-1 record. The Golden Flyers became the first team to ever rally from a three-goal deficit in the NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Tournament, defeating Norwich University, 5-4 in overtime in the semifinals.
Elmira College earning 77 points from its women's ice hockey and women's wrestling teams to place 201st overall Directors' Cup standings. The Soaring Eagles won its fifth United Collegiate Hockey Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA National Quarterfinals, while the women's wrestling team made its first appearance in the NCAA Championships, placing 44th at nationals.
Utica University finished in 227th place nationally with 60 points after its men's hockey team won its sixth United Collegiate Hockey Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA National Quarterfinals.
SUNY Brockport finished 264th nationally in the Director's Cup standings with 38 points. The Golden Eagles finished tied for 51st at the NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships and placed 55th at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the spring. Senior Gabe Giannini earned First Team All-American honors in the decathlon, placing sixth overall.
Russell Sage College baseball enjoyed an historic 2026 season, winning its first Empire 8 Championship Tournament, while earning the league's automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship Tournament. The Gators, who hosted an NCAA regional, finished 37-8 overall and won an NCAA Tournament contest to earn 37.5 points in he Director's Cup standings. The Gators finished right behind Brockport nationally in 265th place.
Alfred University entered the Director's Cup after winning its second Empire 8 Softball Championship, while earning the league's automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Softball Championship Tournament. They finished with 25 points.
Hartwick College finished with 25 points after their 2025 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship win and berth in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Hawks won the E8 Tournament and earned a berth in the national championship tourney for the second straight season and third in four years.
Keuka College also garnered 25 points after its men's basketball team won the 2026 Empire 8 Championship in dramatic fashion, winning three tournament games on the road and becoming the first No. 7 seed to win an E8 title. In addition, the Wolves took defending national champion Trinity College to the wire in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA DIvision III Men's Basketball Tournament, holding a 10-point lead in the second half before the Bantams rallied to win.
Complete standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDA's website at
www.directorscup.org. In addition, please visit
www.thedirectorscup.com and follow us on Twitter
@ldirectorscup.
About LEARFIELD: LEARFIELD is a leading media and technology services company in intercollegiate athletics. The company unlocks the value of college sports for brands and fans through an omnichannel platform with innovative content and commerce solutions. LEARFIELD services includes licensing and multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics; ticketing, ticket sales and professional concessions expertise; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue technology systems. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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