The Learfield Cup standings were announced earlier this week, and for the first time in school history, the USF Bulls finished first in the 14-team AAC with 294.75 points.
Overall, USF finished 78th in the nation out of 294 schools, and its 294.75 points were the second-highest point total in school history. In 2015-16, the athletic department finished with 350 points in the Learfield Cup standings.
The Learfield Directors Cup is an annual award presented by the National Collegiate Directors of Athletics, recognizing the US’s most successful college athletic programs.
The Bulls finished second among all FBS schools outside the Power Five conferences, behind only New Mexico. The Bulls also finished ahead of UCF, which ended at number 83 in the football standings.
The football program won the Hawaii Bowl and was just one of 15 programs nationwide to win back-to-back bowl or playoff games in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
Both the men’s and women’s athletic teams contributed to the school’s success last year.
Women’s basketball and softball, men’s tennis, men’s golf, and the men’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams all made postseason appearances.
The men’s indoor team finished 21st in the nation, while the outdoor squad finished 14th.
The men’s 4×400-meter relay team also finished the season with a national championship.
The top five teams in the AAC were as follows, with point totals:
USF 294.75
Navy 191.80
Army 181.00
FAU 112.50
UTSA 109.00
Interim Vice President of Athletics Jay Stroman had this to say regarding the strong athletic teams at USF: “This is a tremendous moment of pride for USF Athletics. Finishing atop the American for the first time ever, and competing with top programs nationally, is a testament to the incredible commitment of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff. We are building sustained excellence, and this year’s results show just how far we’ve come and how high we’re aiming.”
Two Former USF Basketball Players Sign NBA contracts
Former USF Bulls basketball players Selton Miguel and Chris Youngblood signed NBA contracts following the NBA draft last week.
Youngblood will play for the Oklahoma City Thunder on their summer league roster, while Selton Miguel will play for the Utah Jazz on their summer league team. Both were key players on the Bulls’ championship team of 2023-24.
Youngblood averaged 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on his way to earning AAC All-conference first team honors, and was also the AAC co-player of the year.
Miguel averaged 12.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game during the 2024-25 season. Miguel was the AAC Sixth Man of the Year winner and the AAC Most Improved Player, racking up All-Conference second team honors during the 23-24 season.
Miguel and Youngblood are the first USF players to sign NBA contracts since Dominique Jones in 2010.
Both players will have their first games on July 5th. All NBA Summer League games will be televised across the ESPN platform of channels.