On Dec. 3, 2017, Stanford Athletics won a national championship in women’s soccer, temporarily becoming the nation’s all-time leader with 114 NCAA championships and passing rival UCLA for the first time since 1965. However, the lead was short-lived, when the Bruins claimed the men’s water polo crown that same day.

Later in the 2017-18 campaign, Stanford moved ahead following titles in men’s soccer and women's swimming, before UCLA answered with two more, giving both schools 116 NCAA championships.

Stanford moved permanently in front with 117 on May 22, 2018, after winning women's tennis. The Cardinal has since won 19 more NCAA championships, increasing its nation-leading total to 136 and maintaining its edge over second-place UCLA (121).

This historic milestone is a product of the unrivaled culture of excellence, relentless championship spirit and continued support from the entire Stanford community. As a department, we will continue to embrace the mission of scholar-athleticism and strive to inspire champions.

More Numbers

• Stanford teams have won 136 NCAA championships (71 men, 65 women) and 167 national championships overall (77 men, 88 women, 2 coed).
• Stanford has won at least one NCAA team championship during each of the last 48 seasons, dating back to the 1976-77 campaign.
• Of Stanford's 136 NCAA championships, 35 have been won by fall sports, 33 by winter sports and 68 by spring sports.
• The Cardinal has captured 60 NCAA crowns since 2000 and 39 since 2010.
• During the 2018-19 campaign, Stanford captured seven national championships overall, a haul that included NCAA crowns in women's volleyball, women's swimming, men's gymnastics, women's water polo, women's tennis and men's golf. The six NCAA titles matched the record for an academic year, with the Cardinal also winning six back in 1996-97.
• Stanford has won the Learfield Directors’ Cup in 26 of the possible 30 seasons, including a 25-year streak from 1995-2019. The Directors’ Cup is awarded annually to the most successful overall intercollegiate athletic department in the nation in each of the NCAA’s three divisions. 
• Stanford completed a sweep of the Capital One Cup in 2020-21, matching its dual victory achievement from 2017-18 and remaining the only school to capture both titles in the same season. The Cardinal is a three-time winner on the men's side and a seven-time champion of the women's program, including four of the last five years.
• Stanford student-athletes have earned a nation-leading 189 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, which are awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding performance in athletics, academics, and community service.
• 177 Stanford-affiliated athletes have won a combined total of 296 medals (150 gold, 79 silver, 67 bronze) in Olympic competition, including a school-record 27 medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
• 13 Stanford scholar-athletes have earned a Rhodes Scholarship.