CLEVELAND — IUP finished 44th in the final 2025-26 Learfield Directors' Cup standings, placing fourth among Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference institutions and second among PSAC West schools.
The Crimson Hawks accumulated 401 points during the academic year, fueled by postseason success across multiple sports at the NCAA level.
The Learfield Directors' Cup measures overall athletic department success based on NCAA postseason performance. In Division II, institutions earn points through their finishes at NCAA championships, with scores calculated using men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball and baseball, plus the next 11 highest-scoring sports regardless of gender.
IUP collected 89 points during the fall season as football and women's volleyball advanced to NCAA postseason competition. The football team reached the NCAA regional first round, while the volleyball team advanced to the Atlantic Regional Championship before falling to Gannon.
The winter season proved to be the most productive for the Crimson Hawks, accounting for more than half of the department's point total. Women's basketball captured the NCAA Atlantic Region title and advanced to the Division II national championship game before finishing as national runner-up to Grand Valley State, which claimed the top spot in the final Directors' Cup standings.
Men's basketball also made a deep postseason run, advancing to the Atlantic Regional Championship game before falling to eventual national champion Gannon. In women's swimming, Kasha Stokes earned two All-America honors at the NCAA Championships, while Gem Crittenden received honorable mention recognition.
During the spring season, women's tennis advanced to the NCAA Championships in Surprise, Arizona, after winning the Atlantic Regional Pod title. Men's golf continued its postseason tradition by qualifying for the NCAA Regional Tournament for the 29th consecutive season.
East Stroudsburg and Gannon tied for the highest finish among PSAC institutions, each placing 20th with 527 points. West Chester finished 33rd with 475 points, followed by IUP in 44th.
The PSAC placed 16 institutions in the final standings, tying for the most represented conference in Division II.
PSAC Schools in the Final Learfield Directors' Cup Standings
T-20. East Stroudsburg — 527.00 points
T-20. Gannon — 527.00 points
33. West Chester — 475.00 points
44. IUP — 401.00 points
48. Kutztown — 374.00 points
85. Shippensburg — 250.00 points
110. Pitt-Johnstown — 200.50 points
121. California (Pa.) — 176.50 points
124. Seton Hill — 171.00 points
149. Slippery Rock — 135.00 points
167. Clarion — 109.50 points
169. Edinboro — 100.50 points
176. Millersville — 90.00 points
177. Shepherd — 89.00 points
178. Lock Haven — 88.50 points
188. Bloomsburg — 75.00 points
