Baylor finishes among top 25 in all-sport Directors’ Cup standings

With three Big 12 titles and 18 of 19 teams reaching the postseason, Baylor Athletics finished the year ranked 24th nationally in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings — one spot away from matching the best finish in school history.

The Directors Cup annually uses a mathematical formula to annually calculate how each university performs across its entire range of varsity athletic programs. The Bears finished among this year’s top 25 despite having just 17 countable sports — the fewest of any team in the top 25.

If this sounds familiar, it might be because it is. A top-25 overall ranking for Baylor is becoming commonplace, as the Bears have finished in the top 25 three of the last six years. BU finished at No. 24 in 2011-12 (the “Year of the Bear“), and at No. 23 in 2014-15.

Baylor came in third this year among Big 12 schools, behind only Texas and Oklahoma. In addition to the phenomenal statistic of having all but one team reach the NCAA postseason, the Bears’ success was bolstered by the football team’s bowl victory; top-8 finishes for women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, and softball; Sweet 16 appearances by men’s basketball and men’s tennis; and top finishes at the NCAA championships by women’s indoor track & field (14th) and women’s cross country (27th).

Sic ’em, Baylor Athletics!

[7/10 update: Baylor also finished 16th nationally in CBS Sports’ all-sports rankings, and the Baylor women came in 20th in the Capitol One Women’s Cup standings.]