🚨 BYU COUGARS MAKE COLLEGE SPORTS HISTORY: Unstoppable 2025 Season Lands Provo’s Powerhouse the Nation’s Top Athletic Program Title! 🏆
PROVO, UTAH — June 9, 2025
In a season that defied every expectation and broke every record, Brigham Young University (BYU) has officially been crowned the nation’s top overall collegiate athletic program for 2025—claiming the prestigious NACDA Director’s Cup for the first time in school history. Long considered an underdog among Power Five giants, BYU stunned the sports world by capturing 10 NCAA national championships and placing in the top five in seven other sports, setting a standard no school—not even Stanford or Texas—has matched in the last 15 years.
For decades, BYU has been best known for its 1984 national championship football season and its world-class volleyball and cross-country programs. But in 2025, every corner of Cougar athletics roared to life, elevating the school’s reputation from respected competitor to undisputed juggernaut.
“This season will go down as the greatest in BYU athletic history—and one of the greatest in all of college sports,” said Athletic Director Tom Holmoe, holding the Director’s Cup high before a roaring crowd of 65,000 at LaVell Edwards Stadium. “We did this the right way: with integrity, grit, teamwork, and belief. Every athlete, every coach contributed to this banner year.”
The run began last fall, as BYU’s football team shocked the nation by finishing an undefeated 13-0 regular season, powered by Heisman Trophy runner-up Jaren Vakalahi, whose dazzling dual-threat quarterback play electrified fans. After a dramatic overtime win against Georgia in the CFP semifinal, the Cougars fell to Michigan in the National Championship—but their top-3 finish was their best in four decades.
Meanwhile, BYU’s women’s volleyball squad—ranked No. 4 entering the postseason—stormed to the NCAA title, upsetting top-seeded Wisconsin in a thrilling five-set championship match. The victory marked BYU’s first volleyball national crown since 2000 and set the tone for what became a cascade of Cougar triumphs.
In cross-country, the Cougars achieved an exceedingly rare feat: sweeping both the men’s and women’s NCAA titles. The men, led by senior phenom Eli Bennett, won by a record-setting margin, while the women edged perennial powerhouse NC State in a nail-biting finish.
The Cougars’ women’s soccer team finally captured its elusive first national title, dispatching North Carolina 2-1 in extra time, while BYU’s gymnastics team stunned the competition by making its first-ever NCAA Super Six appearance, finishing third overall—a program best.
Spring sports piled on the glory. Men’s and women’s track & field combined for six individual NCAA champions, while the women’s team earned its second straight team title. BYU baseball advanced to the College World Series final for the first time ever, falling to LSU but making history with their highest finish.
Even lesser-known programs shone: Swimming & Diving, Tennis, and Golf each delivered All-American performances, adding crucial points to BYU’s record-breaking Director’s Cup tally.
In total, BYU scored in 19 of 21 eligible NCAA sports—the most of any school this year.
National media hailed the season as “The Provo Phenomenon,” while ESPN’s Rece Davis called it “a once-in-a-generation masterpiece of athletic dominance.”
With recruiting interest and NIL opportunities at all-time highs, BYU has firmly arrived as a national force—not just in football or volleyball—but in every arena of collegiate sport.
A new dynasty may have just begun.
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