This is a list of U.S. universities and colleges that have won the most team sport national championships (more than 15) that have been bestowed for the highest level of collegiate athletic competition, be that at either the varsity or club level, as determined by the governing organization of each sport.
While many collegiate sports championships in the United States are now sponsored by the NCAA, historically this was not the case, and many championships were organized for decades without NCAA sponsorship. This list includes both (i) NCAA championships and (ii) titles won in competitions organized by bodies other than the NCAA.
The column in the list below that sets forth NCAA championships includes (but is not limited to) all non-football titles won at the highest level organized by the NCAA (Division I/Collegiate), as of July 1, 2023, for sports years through that date [2] and with updated results for subsequent sports year(s). (In accordance with the NCAA's own records, this column includes certain "unofficial" NCAA championships won during years the NCAA did not calculate winning team scores – boxing from 1932 through 1947, track and field from 1925–1927, and wrestling in 1928 and 1931–1933.) [3] [4] [5] It also includes the short-lived trampoline titles in 1969–1970. Other championships are set forth in other columns. For example, women's sports were solely organized by the AIAW rather than the NCAA prior to the 1981–1982 year of dual championships, and these titles are included in their own separate column. [6] Notably, the championship in the highest level of NCAA football (FBS) to date is still not sponsored by the NCAA, nor has the oldest organized intercollegiate competition, men's rowing, ever been subject to NCAA control (included in the "Other Team Titles" column). [7]
The "Other team titles" column includes championships won by schools in one of the 27 sports that are (or were) sponsored by the NCAA or AIAW, during years competitive championships were organized by other bodies. These 27 sports are: women's badminton; baseball; basketball; women's bowling; boxing; cross country; fencing; field hockey; golf; gymnastics; ice hockey; lacrosse; indoor rifle; outdoor rifle; women's rowing; skiing; soccer; softball; swimming; women's synchronized swimming; tennis; indoor track; outdoor track; men's trampoline; volleyball; women's beach volleyball, water polo; and wrestling. Finally, the "Other team titles" column also includes championships won in three other sports: men's rowing (1871–present), which has voluntarily remained outside NCAA sponsorship, and two NCAA "emerging sports" that organize championships, women's equestrian (2002–present) and women's rugby (1991–present). [8] [9]
As more specifically detailed on the table of sports, below, the "Other team titles" column includes: (i) historic non-NCAA tournament titles compiled here, (ii) non-AIAW women's championships listed here, (iii) overall women's equestrian championships, (iv) gold medal lacrosse teams listed here and Wingate lacrosse championships, (v) pre-NCAA golf championships (NCAA started sponsoring the golf championship in 1939; the previous 41 championships conferred by the National Intercollegiate Golf Association are in the "Other" column [10] [11] ); (vi) pre-NCAA swimming championships; (vii) ISFA soccer championships; and (viii) USA Rugby Women’s Divisions 1 / 1 Elite championships.
It does not include Helms Athletic Foundation or Premo-Porretta Power Poll selections for men's basketball, which were awarded retroactively. [12] [13]
Sport | Current NCAA DI championship sport | Years sponsored by NCAA | Years sponsored by AIAW | Titles included in "Other" column |
---|---|---|---|---|
Badminton (W) | — | 1973–82 | 1970–72, 1983–93 | |
Baseball | 1947–present | — | 1893 | |
Basketball (M) | 1939–present | — | 1904–38 (various tourney winners) 1939–50 NIT champs | |
Basketball (W) | 1982–present | 1972–82 | 1969–71 | |
Bowling (W) | 2004–present | — | 1975–2003 | |
Boxing | 1932–1960 [lower-alpha 1] | — | 1924–31 | |
Cross country (M) | 1938–present | — | 1899–1937 | |
Cross country (W) | 1982–present | 1975–81 | — | |
Equestrian (W) | — | — | 2002–present | |
Fencing (M) | co-ed since 1990 | 1941–42, 1947–present | — | 1894–1943 |
Fencing (W) | 1982–present | 1980–82 | 1929–79 | |
Field hockey | 1981–present | 1975–81 | — | |
Football, FBS | — | — | N/A: football has its own separate column | |
Golf (M) | 1939–present | — | 1897–1938 | |
Golf (W) | 1982–present | 1972–82 | 1970–71 | |
Gymnastics (M) | 1938–present | — | 1900–02, 1917, 1925, 1944 (AAU) | |
Gymnastics (W) | 1982–present | 1973–82 | 1969–72 | |
Ice hockey (M) | 1948–present | — | 1940, 1942 (AAU) | |
Ice hockey (W) | 2001–present | — | 1998–2000 | |
Lacrosse (M) | 1971–present | — | 1881, 1912, 1921, 1926–31, 1936–70 | |
Lacrosse (W) | 1982–present | 1981–82 | 1978–80 | |
Rifle (co-ed) | 1980–present | — | 1905–79 | |
Rowing (M) | — | — | 1871–present (overall points since 1952) | |
Rowing (W) | 1997–present | 1982 | 1973, 1975, 1980–81, 1983–96 | |
Rugby (W) | — | — | 1991–present | |
Skiing (M) | co-ed since 1983 | 1954–present | — | 1921–53 (various) |
Skiing (W) | 1983–present | 1977–82 | — | |
Soccer (M) | 1959–present | — | 1909–35, 1946–48, 1952–58 (ISFA champs); 1949–51 Soccer Bowl champs | |
Soccer (W) | 1982–present | 1981 | 1980 | |
Softball | 1982–present | 1973–82 (also slowpitch 1981–82) | 1969–72 | |
Swimming (M) | 1924–present [lower-alpha 2] | — | — | |
Swimming (W) | 1982–present | 1973–82 | 1968–72 | |
Synchronized swimming (W) | — | 1977–82 | 1983–present | |
Tennis (M) | 1946–present | — | 1929–31 indoor | |
Tennis (W) | 1982–present | 1977–82 | 1968–76 | |
Track, indoor (M) | 1965–present | — | 1918, 1923–64 | |
Track, indoor (W) | 1983–present | 1980–82 | 1941–79 (AAU) | |
Track, outdoor (M) | 1921–present | — | 1876–1920 | |
Track, outdoor (W) | 1982–present | 1972–82 | 1923–26, [109] 1937–67 (AAU), 1969–71 (DGWS) | |
Trampoline (M) | 1969–70 | — | — | |
Volleyball (M) | 1970–present | — | 1949–1969 | |
Volleyball (W) | 1981–present | 1972–81 | 1969–71 | |
Volleyball, beach (W) | 2016–present | — | 2007–10, 2012–15 | |
Water polo (M) | 1969–present | — | 1913, 1968 | |
Water polo (W) | 2001–present | — | 1984–2000 | |
Wrestling | 1928–present | — | 1921 |
The intercollegiate championship is rising in importance in golf with each passing year. ... The N.C.A.A. has taken over the administration of the college fray and their delegate in charge on the field is none other than Chick Evans, the old champion and one of the greatest shot-makers the game ever knew, amateur or professional.
No wonder "mythical" is the word that often precedes national title. "There is no official standard because there is no official national champion," said Kent Stephens, historian at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend. "It all depends on the standard the school wishes to utilize. The national champion is in the eye of the beholder."
National Championships – 1926, 1940
The 1926 team was declared national champions by the Dickinson System, Helms Athletic Foundation, National Championship Foundation and Sagarin Ratings. Although Minnesota was declared national champions in the final 1940 Associated Press Poll, which was the best-known and most widely circulated poll of sportswriters and broadcasters in determining the national champion, Stanford was recognized as national champions by the Billingsley Report, Helms Athletic Foundation and Poling System.
This was the case when Navy earned its lone national championship in 1926
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)Columbia has claimed two mythical national championships: in 1875 and 1933. The 1875 team went 4-1-1 and was named national champions, while the 1933 squad defeated Stanford and was referred to as a national champ.
Iowa Quick Facts – National Champions: 1921, 1922, 1956, 1958, 1960 | the Hawkeyes were named national champions by the Football Writers Association in 1958, and by various rating services in 1921, 1922, 1956, and 1960. | Mythical National Champions – Iowa football has been voted mythical national champions by different media services on five occasions. 1921, 1922, 1956, 1958, 1960
National Championships – 18 – 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was a college athletics organization in the United States, founded in 1971 to govern women's college competitions in the country and to administer national championships. It evolved out of the "Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women" (CIAW), founded in 1967. The association was one of the biggest advancements for women's athletics on the collegiate level. Throughout the 1970s, the AIAW grew rapidly in membership and influence, in parallel with the national growth of women's sports following the enactment of Title IX.
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni and its sports fans are often collectively referred to as the "Gator Nation." The Gators compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and are consistently ranked among the top college sports programs in the United States. The University of Florida currently fields teams in nine men's sports and twelve women's sports.
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the 20 male and female varsity intercollegiate athletics programs that represent the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Volunteers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). In January 2021, Danny White was introduced as the Volunteers' Director of Athletics.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio. The athletic programs are named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Ohio and after the state tree, the Ohio buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports. The Ohio State women's ice hockey team competes in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). The school colors are scarlet and gray. The university's mascot is Brutus Buckeye. "THE" is the official trademark of the Ohio State University merchandise. Led by its gridiron program, the Buckeyes have the largest overall sports endowment of any campus in North America.
The Illinois Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The university offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports.
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams representing the University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers compete at the NCAA Division I level, in the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1953. Known simply as Virginia or UVA in sports media, the athletics program has twice won the Capital One Cup for men's sports after leading the nation in overall athletic excellence in those years. The Cavaliers have regularly placed among the nation's Top 5 athletics programs.
The California Golden Bears are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Berkeley. Referred to in athletic competition as California or Cal, the university fields 30 varsity athletic programs and various club teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I primarily as a member of the Pac-12 Conference, and for a limited number of sports as a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). Over the course of the school's history, California has won team national titles in 13 men's and 3 women's sports and 115 team titles overall. Cal athletes have also competed in the Olympics for a host of different countries. Notable facilities used by the Bears include California Memorial Stadium (football) and Haas Pavilion. Cal finished the 2010–11 athletic season with 1,219.50 points, earning third place in the Director's Cup standings, the Golden Bears' highest finish ever. Cal did not receive any points for its national championships in rugby and men's crew because those sports are not governed by the NCAA. Cal finished 12th in the 2014-15 standings.
The Penn State Nittany Lions are the athletic teams of Pennsylvania State University, except for the women's basketball team, known as the Lady Lions. The school colors are navy blue and white. The school mascot is the Nittany Lion. The intercollegiate athletics logo was commissioned in 1983.
The Clemson Tigers are the athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level. Clemson competes for and has won multiple NCAA Division I national championships in football, men's soccer, and men's golf. The Clemson Tigers field twenty-one athletic teams, nine men's and twelve women's, across thirteen sports.
The South Florida Bulls are the athletic teams that represent the University of South Florida. USF competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the American Athletic Conference for all sports besides sailing, a non-NCAA sanctioned varsity sport which competes in the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association within the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association. The current athletic director is Michael Kelly, who has held the job since 2018. The school colors are green and gold and the mascot is Rocky D. Bull.
The Navy Midshipmen are the athletic teams that represent the United States Naval Academy. The academy sponsors 36 varsity sports teams and 12 club sport teams. Both men's and women's teams are called Navy Midshipmen or "Mids". They participate in the NCAA's Division I, as a non-football member of the Patriot League, a football-only member of the American Athletic Conference in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), and a member of the Collegiate Sprint Football League (men), Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (men), Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges, Eastern Intercollegiate Gymnastics League (men), Mid-Atlantic Squash Conference (men) and Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. Navy is also one of approximately 300 members of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).
The UCF Knights are the athletic teams that represent the University of Central Florida in unincorporated Orange County, Florida near Orlando. The Knights participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Since men's soccer is not sponsored by the Big 12, they play in the Sun Belt Conference.
The Grand Valley State Lakers are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Grand Valley State University, located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The GVSU Lakers compete at the NCAA Division II level and are members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
The Princeton Tigers are the athletic teams of Princeton University. The school sponsors 35 varsity teams in 20 sports. The school has won several NCAA national championships, including one in men's fencing, three in women's lacrosse, six in men's lacrosse, and eight in men's golf. Princeton's men's and women's crews have also won numerous national rowing championships. The field hockey team made history in 2012 as the first Ivy League team to win the NCAA Division I Championship in field hockey.
The UC Davis Aggies are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Davis.
The Sacramento State Hornets is the team that represents California State University, Sacramento in Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California, in intercollegiate athletics.
The St. Lawrence Saints are composed of 33 teams representing St. Lawrence University in intercollegiate athletics, including men and women's alpine skiing, basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, nordic skiing, riding, rowing, soccer, squash, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's sports include baseball and football. Women's sports include field hockey, softball, and volleyball. The Saints compete in the NCAA Division III and are members of the Liberty League for all sports except ice hockey, which competes in NCAA Division I, as a member of ECAC Hockey.