When it comes to athletic success, UCLA ranks second to none, as evidenced by its 103 NCAA team championships. Over the past three-plus decades, no school can match UCLA's combination of NCAA team and individual championships, football bowl games, men's basketball NCAA Tournament appearances and Olympic participation. In April of 2005, Sports Illustrated On Campus stated that "UCLA has the most complete athletic program in the country."
In 2007-08, UCLA placed second nationally in competition for the annual NACDA Directors` Cup for the third consecutive year. The cup recognizes the school with the best overall sports performance each year and awards points based on finishes in NCAA competition. UCLA has finished in the Top Six in all 15 years of the Directors` Cup, placing second in 2007-08, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2000-2001, 1999-2000 and 1995-96, third in 2004-05, 2003-04, 1996-97, 1994-95 and 1993-94, fourth in 1997-98, fifth in 1998-99 and 2001-2002 and sixth in 2002-2003.
This past year, UCLA won its fourth consecutive NCAA women's water polo championship, its first NCAA title in women's tennis and its second in men's golf. The Bruins finished second in women's golf, tied for third in men's basketball (third straight Final Four), women's soccer (fifth straight College Cup) and men's tennis, placed fifth (tied) in women's volleyball and softball, seventh in women's gymnastics, 14th in men's indoor track and field and 17th (tied) in baseball and men's soccer. UCLA also played in its sixth consecutive bowl game and won five conference championships and two league tournaments.
In 2006-07, UCLA won an NCAA championship in women's water polo, the school's 100th NCAA team title, and placed second in men's soccer and women's tennis, third in women's golf, tied for third in men's basketball, women's soccer and women's volleyball, fourth in women's gymnastics, fifth in women's outdoor track and field, tied for fifth in men's tennis, seventh in men's golf and women's indoor track and field, ninth in men's outdoor track and field and tied for ninth in baseball.
In 2005-06, UCLA won two NCAA titles (men's volleyball and women's water polo) and placed second in men's basketball and women's soccer, tied for third in softball, tied for fifth in men's tennis, tied for seventh in men's golf and tied for ninth in women's volleyball and women's tennis.
COMBINED PROGRAM
UCLA has won more NCAA team championships than any school in the nation -- 103 (71 men's and 32 women's), including 17 in the last six years, more than any other school in the country (Stanford is second with 12). Those 103 titles have been won in 17 different programs. In the 27 years that the NCAA has awarded both men's and women's championships, UCLA has won 63 NCAA team titles (31 men's and 32 women's). Overall, UCLA has won a nation-leading total of 124 collegiate championships -- 103 NCAA crowns and 21 other titles.
UCLA has won at least one NCAA team title (men's or women's) in 26 of the last 28 years. In addition, the school has won at least one collegiate title (NCAA or AIAW) in 42 of the last 45 years, missing only in 1979-80, 1993-94 and 2001-02. Over the last 37 years, UCLA has won at least two collegiate titles 29 times.
UCLA has placed amongst the top six schools in each of the 15 years of the Directors` Cup. In 1992-93, UCLA earned the award as the nation's top combined program, according to the annual USA Today All-Sports Survey. Prior to 1993-94, USA Today conducted separate surveys for men's and women's programs. In the 23-year history of the All-Sports Survey for men's programs (formerly conducted by the Knoxville Journal), UCLA finished first 11 times (no other school had more than six titles), second seven times, third once and fourth once and was in the top 10 each year. The Bruins won five of the last eight men's surveys and placed fifth in 1993. In the women's survey (formerly sponsored by the Santa Monica Evening Outlook), UCLA won 10 titles in 18 years, including four straight (1988-1991), and finished second in 1992 and 1993.
In the last 39 years, the Bruin men have won 57 NCAA championships, 10 more than second-place Stanford and 31 more than third-place USC. Eight times they have won at least three titles in a single year. UCLA is the only school to win four men's titles in a single year more than once, accomplishing the feat in 1969-70 (basketball, tennis, volleyball, and water polo), 1970-71 (basketball, tennis, volleyball, and outdoor track) and 1971-72 (basketball, volleyball, outdoor track, and water polo).
In 1981-82, the first year in which the NCAA hosted women's championships, UCLA became the first school in history to win five NCAA titles (men's swimming, men's tennis, men's volleyball, softball, and women's track) in a single year.
