Gator Athletics Program Fifth in the Nation
Gator Athletics Program Fifth in the Nation
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - A trio of NCAA titles led 11 top-10 team finishes as the University of Florida athletics program placed fifth in the 2021-22 LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standings. This is Florida's 13th consecutive top-five national all-sports finish.
Florida is the only program to finish among the nation's top 10 in each of the last 38 national all-sports standings.
Florida's Top-10 Finishes: Three team titles by Florida track & field - Women's Indoor and Outdoor; Men's Outdoor - led the Gators' 11 top-10 team finishes in 2021-22. This is the third time since 2011-12 season Florida claimed three NCAA team tiles.
This is the 13th consecutive complete season with a Gators team winning a national team title. Florida is one of two programs with a national title each complete season since the 2008-09 campaign. UF has 24 championships in that span.
In 2021-22, 11 Gators teams placed among the nation's final top 10. This is the 20th consecutive complete season 10 or more Gators teams were among the nation's top 10.
* No. 1 Women's Outdoor Track & Field
* No. 1 Men's Outdoor Track & Field
* No. 1 Women's Indoor Track & Field
* No. 2 Gymnastics
* No. 3 Men's Swimming & Diving
* No. T-5 Lacrosse
* No. T-5 Softball
* No. T-5 Men's Tennis
* No. T-9 Women's Tennis
* No. T-9 Volleyball
* No. T10 Men's Golf
2021-22 LEARFIELD Directors' Cup Standings
Rank
School
Points
1. Texas 1449.50
2. Stanford 1352.25
3. Michigan 1245.25
4. Ohio State 1184.50
5. FLORIDA 1180.75
6. North Carolina 1087.25
7. Arkansas 967.75*
8. Notre Dame 943.00*
9. Kentucky 979.75
10. Southern California 933.75
*does not include baseball points. Will receive 78, 83, 90 or 100 points depending on CWS finish.
LEARFIELD Directors' Cup
The LEARFIELD Directors' Cup presented annually by the nation's athletics directors, recognizes the schools with the best overall sports performances in an academic year. The scoring system uses finishes in NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball, baseball and women's volleyball championship action. Additionally, a program can receive points in up to 15 other sports toward its final score. Texas claimed its first Directors' Cup this season.
In the last 14 seasons, 15 different programs appeared among the Directors' Cup final top five. Only Florida and Stanford appear in each top five since 2008-09, with Southern California (6) earning the next-highest number of top-five finishes in that span.
UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin says: "What a season for the Gators! Three NCAA team titles by Gators track & field led 11 top-10 finishes for the Florida program. Finishing fifth in the Directors' Cup requires many Gator teams to perform well in national championships action. That isn't easy and we applaud the effort and preparation by both our student-athletes and coaches. We certainly enjoyed cheering their performances throughout this season." - UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin
2022 Individual NCAA Champions for the Gators: Seventeen Gators claimed a school-record 19 NCAA individual titles in 2022. The previous high of 18 individual titles was set in 1982.
2022 NCAA Individual National Champions
Sport Name Event
Gymnastics Trinity Thomas All-Around, Uneven Bars, Floor Exercise
Men's Swimming Bobby Finke 1650 freestyle
Adam Chaney, Dillon Hillis, Eric Friese, Will Davis 200 Medley Relay
Adam Chaney, Eric Friese, Will Davis, Kieran Smith 200 Freestyle Relay
Tennis Ben Shelton Singles
Track & Field (indoor) Talitha Diggs 400-meters Anna Hall Pentathlon Jasmine Moore
Long Jump & Triple Jump Grace Stark
Other Gators successes: Florida's four Southeastern Conference titles (gymnastics, men's swimming & diving, men's tennis, women's outdoor track & field) pushed Gators' league-leading total of 255 titles all-time.
In addition, the lacrosse team again swept the American Athletic regular-season and tournament titles. It was Florida's 11th consecutive league crown, spanning three different conferences.
National athlete of the year honors went to five Gators in 2022:
* Joseph Fahnbulleh USTFCCCA Outdoor Male Runner of the Year
* Anna Hall USTFCCCA Outdoor Women's Field Athlete of the Year
* Jasmine Moore USTFCCCA Indoor Women's Field Athlete of the Year
* Ben Shelton ITA National Player of the Year
* Trinity Thomas Honda Award
Eight Gators picked up nine conference athlete of the year honors in 2022. This is the 45th consecutive season at least one Gator claimed league athlete of the year accolades.
* Maha Amer SEC Co-Diver of the Year
* McCartney Kessler SEC Women's Tennis Player of the Year
* Jasmine Moore SEC Indoor & Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year
* Danielle Pavinelli AAC Attacker of the Year
* Sarah Reznick AAC Goalkeeper of the Year
* Ben Shelton SEC Men's Tennis Player of the Year
* Trinity Thomas SEC Gymnast of the Year
* Emma Wightman AAC Defender of the Year
Gators by the Numbers 3 NCAA track & field team titles (women's indoor & outdoor; men's outdoor) marks the 13th straight complete season a Gator team won a national team title. Florida has won 24 national team titles since the 2008-09 season.
11 top-10 national team finishes. 20th consecutive complete season 10 or more Gator teams among final top 10.
5 conference titles by the Gators in 2021-22, including 4 Southeastern Conference wins. 92 percent Graduation Success Rate for UF, as reported last fall in the 2021 NCAA Federal Graduation Rate Data.
3.21 grade point average by Gator student-athletes in 2021-22 academic year - an all-time high. A record 378 Gators earned 2021-22 SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition.
1 named SEC Scholar-Athletes of Year for their sport - Sam Riffice (men's tennis). 3 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans - Leah Clapper (gymnastics), Charla Echols (softball) and Megan Skaggs (gymnastics)
5 picked up conference coach of the year honors, marking 27th consecutive season at least one UF coach was recognized. Michael Holloway named USTFCCCA National Women's Indoor & Outdoor and Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year.