Over the winter, UCCS was crowned the winners of the Learfield Director’s Cup at the Division II level, leading to a celebration during both the men’s and women’s basketball games on Feb. 26.
But let’s backtrack for a second. What is the Director’s Cup and how did we win it?
The Learfield Director’s Cup is awarded to one school per NCAA division depending on the performance of all the programs in a single season, the fall season in this case.
Teams earn points depending on how well they perform during the season with better performances earning more points. Those points are then tallied up and the school with the most points wins the cup.
Essentially, the cup determines what school has the most successful and consistent sports programs in a given season.
For UCCS, it was strong performances by men’s soccer, women’s soccer, volleyball and cross country that helped the school capture the Director’s Cup for the fall season at the Division II level.
This is a monumental achievement for UCCS and positively affects the university in many ways in and out of sports. While racing legend Doc Hudson says it’s just an empty cup, it’s what the cup represents, and the Director’s Cup is a testament to excellence and great program building.
“I know this brings notoriety and accolade to the institution. In many ways, though, I continue to be proud that others continue to see UCCS for what it is, one of the best institutions in our conference, region and nation, for athletics and so many other areas of success. I know that people respect us for doing things the right way,” said Athletic Director Nathan Gibson.
UCCS winning the Director’s Cup was no accident. Every program thrives to be excellent, and it all begins with a great coaching staff according to Gibson.
“I want coaches who believe that UCCS can be the best in our conference and the NCAA Division II, which makes being atop the Learfield Standings this Fall even more gratifying knowing that this is something we have set out to accomplish and have talked about for many years,” Gibson said.
While it is coaches and their staffs that create the foundation of a winning culture, a program needs to recruit athletes that will build on those foundations to find consistent success.
For the many programs of UCCS, they have had no problem bringing in the right athletes and it all comes down to the way the school recruits’ athletes.
“We look for student athletes who are high performers in all aspects of life, academics, athletics, leadership and service, to name a few. When you have teams full of high achievers who want to be exceptional in all that they do, special things happen,” Gibson said.
With college sports becoming a bonafide business at the Division I level through the transfer portal and NIL, Gibson finds pride in being able to succeed in sports while making a positive impact.
“We are not doing this for the accolades alone; we are doing this because we believe that college athletics makes a lasting and important impact in our students’ lives. I am proud that when people think of UCCS athletics, they see that we are doing our best to make a difference,” Gibson said, “But it also feels good to feel the national attention as we want to be an example of what is right with college athletics.”
The celebration on Feb. 26 began before tipoff and the first 500 fans in the arena received a free foam hand souvenir.
During halftime of the women’s game, a student had a chance to hit a shot for $10,000 and was centimeters away from changing their life as the shot almost went in.
During halftime of the men’s game, the Director’s Cup was presented and members of the teams who earned points for the school were honored.
Both games had good attendance, providing an electric environment for the teams and a memorable experience for the fans. The night showcased what sports look like at their best, serving as a way to unite people.
“Athletics has an amazing way of bringing people together, which is why I am excited to share this honor with the rest of campus and believe this is just the beginning of what we will accomplish together,” Gibson said.
With both basketball teams making the RMAC tournament and both track and field teams winning the conference meet, success seems to be the standard for UCCS sports to the delight of those rooting for the Mountain Lions at home.
UCCS celebrates wining the Learfield Director’s Cup. Photo by Anysia Hovel.