Liberty Athletics continues to see its national brand lifted across all sports, as the Flames have posted a third straight top 100 finish in the final 2022-23 Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup standings, for the first time in school history. Liberty finished this season at No. 98, the 5th best finish in school history in the annual listing that ranks the top collegiate athletic departments across the country.
Liberty’s best ever finish came following the 2020-21 season at No. 72. Last year, the Flames finished at No. 74. Prior to these two finishes, the best in school history, Liberty’s previous best Directors’ Cup ranking was No. 82 following the 2001-02 athletics season and No. 96 following the 2011-12 athletics campaign.
Stanford led the rankings and the Longhorns were followed by Texas, Ohio State, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, LSU, and USC rounded out the top 10. Princeton was the highest ranked non-Power Five program with a final ranking of No. 26.
Liberty received points in this year’s Directors’ Cup rankings thanks to national championship finishes or bowl game appearances by men’s track & field, field hockey, football, men’s golf, and softball.
Liberty was once again the highest ranked ASUN member with Florida Gulf Coast checking in second at No. 142. Kennesaw State ranked No. 154, Lipscomb No. 162, North Florida No. 202, Jacksonville No. 209, Stetson No. 215, Eastern Kentucky No. 248, and Central Arkansas No. 252 to round out the other ASUN member institutions that received points.
Liberty would have been the second highest rated team in the new look Conference USA, just behind Middle Tennessee who finished at No. 96. They were followed by FIU at No. 103, Sam Houston at No. 147, Western Kentucky at No. 171, New Mexico State at No. 197, Louisiana Tech at No. 246, and UTEP at No. 254.
