GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s third consecutive NCAA men’s outdoor track & field title led 11 top-five team finishes as the Gators athletics program placed fourth in the 2023-24 LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup standings.
Florida is the only program to finish among the nation’s top 10 in each of the last 40 national all-sports standings.
Florida’s Top-5 Finishes:
The third consecutive NCAA title by the men’s outdoor track & field led the Gators’ 11 top-five team finishes in 2023-24. The 11 top-five team finishes includes a national high nine among the top three.
This is the 15th 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 27 championships in that span.
In 2023-24, 11 Gators teams placed among the nation’s final top five – including nine among the top three. This is the 22nd consecutive complete season 10 or more Gators teams were among the nation’s top 10.
* No. 1 Men’s Outdoor Track & Field
* No. 2 Women’s Indoor Track & Field
* No. 2 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
* No. 3 Men’s Swimming & Diving
* No. 3 Women’s Swimming
* No. 3 Men’s Indoor Track & Field
* No. T3 Baseball
* No. T-3 Lacrosse
* No. T-3 Softball
* No. 4 Gymnastics
* No. 5 Women’s Cross Country
2023-24 LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup Standings
Rank
School
Points
1.
Texas
1377.00
2.
Stanford
1317.75
3.
Tennessee
1217.00
4.
FLORIDA
1189.00
5.
Virginia
1066.25
6.
Texas A&M
1059.25
7.
North Carolina
1035.75
8.
Michigan
1030.00
9.
Alabama
1028.40
10.
UCLA
1017.50
LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup
The LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup<https://nacda.com/sports/2018/7/17/directorscup-nacda-directorscup-current-scoring-html.aspx>, 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 third Directors’ Cup this season.
In the last 15 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 Michigan (7), Ohio State and Southern California (6) earning the next-highest number of top-five finishes in that span.
UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin says:
“Another NCAA title by men’s outdoor track & field was among many celebratory moments for the Gators this season. Eleven top-five Florida finishes includes a national-high nine among the top three. So much effort and training goes into preparing to compete on the national stage so we applaud the competitive spirit of our student-athletes, coaches and staff.” – UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin
2023-24 Individual NCAA Champions for the Gators:
Eleven Gators claimed a national high 15 NCAA individual titles across five sports in 2023-24 season.
2023-24 NCAA Individual National Champions
Sport
Name
Event
Women’s Cross Country
Parker Valby
Race winner
Gymnastics
Leanne Wong
Uneven Bars
Men’s Swimming
Josh Liendo
50 & 100 freestyle; 100 butterfly
Josh Liendo , Adam Chaney, Julian Smith<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-swimming-and-diving/roster/julian-smith/16062>, Macguire McDuff<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-swimming-and-diving/roster/macguire-mcduff/16056>
200 Freestyle Relay
Adam Chaney, Julian Smith, Josh Liendo, Macguire McDuff
200 Medley Relay
Women’s Swimming
Bella Simms
200 & 500 freestyle
Bella Sims, Isabel Ivey, Emma Weyant, Micayla Cronk
800 freestyle relay
Track & Field (indoor)
Parker Valby
3000 & 5000 meters
Track & Field (outdoor)
Grace Stark
100-meter hurdles
Parker Valby
5,000 & 10,000 meters
Other Gators successes:
Four Southeastern Conference titles (women’s cross country, gymnastics, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, volleyball) pushed the Gators’ league-leading total of 265 titles all-time. Lacrosse won its final American Athletic Conference title in 2024 as the team moves to the Big 12 for the 2025 season.
Two Gator teams won 2024 conference tournament titles. Softball won its sixth SEC Tournament title, which shares the top total of wins in the event’s history. Lacrosse won its 10th consecutive conference tournament title and 11th overall in Nashville, Tenn., at the 2024 AAC Tournament.
National athlete of the year honors went to three Gators in 2023-24:
* Jac Caglianone John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year by College Baseball Foundation
Perfect Game Two-Way Player of the Year
* Jocelyn Erickson TUCCI/NFCA Division I Player of the Year Award
* Parker Valby Honda Award (cross country and track & field)
USTFCCCA Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Runner of the Year
Seven Gators picked up nine conference athlete of the year honors in 2023-24. This is the 47th consecutive season at least one Gator claimed league athlete of the year accolades.
* Leilani Correa SEC Women’s Basketball 6th Woman of the Year
* Jocelyn Erickson SEC Softball Player of the Year
* Elyse Finnelle AAC Goalkeeper of the Year
* Maggi Hall AAC Attacker of the Year
* Josh Liendo SEC Swimmer of the Year
* Bella Sims SEC Swimmer of the Year
* Parker Valby SEC Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Runner of the Year
Gators by the Numbers
Men’s outdoor track & field NCAA team crown marks the 15th straight complete season a Gator team won a national team title. Florida has won 27 national team titles since the 2008-09 season.
11 top-five national team finishes. 22nd consecutive complete season 10 or more Gator teams among final top 10. Includes a national high nine among the top three.
5 conference titles by the Gators in 2023-24 – women’s cross country, gymnastics, lacrosse, men’s & women’s swimming & diving.
95 percent Graduation Success Rate, as reported last fall in the 2023 NCAA Federal Graduation Rate Date, set UF’s all-time high.
3.325 grade point average by Gator student-athletes in 2023-24 academic year – an all-time high. A record 433 Gators earned 2023-24 SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition.
1 named NCAA Elite 90 recipient as student-athlete with highest GPA at NCAA Lacrosse Championships – Emily Lortz.
3 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans – Jake Mitchell (swimming), Korbe Otis (softball) and Emma Weyant (swimming)
3 picked up 4 conference coach of the year honors, marking 29th consecutive season at least one UF coach was recognized. Third consecutive national coach of the year for Michael Holloway (USTFCCCA National Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year).
