University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Top Learfield Directors' Cup Fall Standings
January 22, 2026 | General
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.—First-team All-America forward Ryleigh Heck led the North Carolina field hockey team to its NCAA-record 29th appearance in the national semifinals, which helped the Tar Heels claim the top spot nationally in the fall standings in the 2025-26 Learfield Directors' Cup.
UNC is one of six Atlantic Coast Conference schools in the top 10 in the fall standings. The Tar Heels are first, accumulating 359 points over six sports. Stanford is second with 346.50 and Virginia is third.
Rounding out the top 10 are BYU, Notre Dame, Washington, Princeton, Wake Forest, Duke and Alabama.
Carolina posted two top-10, five top-20 and six top-30 finishes in NCAA postseason competition in the fall.
Women's soccer tied for ninth by advancing to the quarterfinals, women's cross country placed 11th, men's soccer and volleyball both tied for 17th and men's cross country was 28th.
The Tar Heels finished fourth in the 2024-25 Directors' Cup standings, which tied Carolina's best finish in 16 seasons.
It was UNC's sixth consecutive top-10 finish, 26th top 10 in the Cup's 31 years and marked the 26th time the Tar Heels placed either first or second in the ACC.
UNC is one of six Atlantic Coast Conference schools in the top 10 in the fall standings. The Tar Heels are first, accumulating 359 points over six sports. Stanford is second with 346.50 and Virginia is third.
Rounding out the top 10 are BYU, Notre Dame, Washington, Princeton, Wake Forest, Duke and Alabama.
Carolina posted two top-10, five top-20 and six top-30 finishes in NCAA postseason competition in the fall.
Women's soccer tied for ninth by advancing to the quarterfinals, women's cross country placed 11th, men's soccer and volleyball both tied for 17th and men's cross country was 28th.
The Tar Heels finished fourth in the 2024-25 Directors' Cup standings, which tied Carolina's best finish in 16 seasons.
It was UNC's sixth consecutive top-10 finish, 26th top 10 in the Cup's 31 years and marked the 26th time the Tar Heels placed either first or second in the ACC.
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