NCAA/NAIA National Championships: National Championships by Sport
Posted by Andrew McKillop on June 16, 2011
Yesterday I examined NCAA/NAIA national championships by school. Tonight I’ll examine national champions by sport. Check out the table below to see which schools have won the most team national championships in specific sports.
Just an important reminder that only NCAA/NAIA officially sponsored championship sports were included in the study. To see a detailed list of sports included click here. Vacated championship weren’t counted.
| Baseball | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Southern California | NCAA | I | 12 |
| Florida Southern | NCAA | II | 9 |
| Marietta (OH) | NCAA | III | 5 |
| Lewis-Clark St (ID) | NAIA | I | 16 |
| Men’s Basketball | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| UCLA (CA) | NCAA | I | 11 |
| Kentucky Wesleyan | NCAA | II | 8 |
| North Park (IL) | NCAA | III | 5 |
| Oklahoma City (OK) | NAIA | I | 6 |
| Bethel | NAIA | II | 3 |
| Women’s Basketball | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Tennessee | NCAA | I | 8 |
| North Dakota St | NCAA | II | 5 |
| Washington-St. Louis (MO) | NCAA | III | 5 |
| Southern Nazarene (OK) | NAIA | I | 7 |
| Northwestern (IA) | NAIA | II | 4 |
| Women’s Bowling | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Nebraska | NCAA | I | 3 |
| Men’s Cross Country | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Arkansas | NCAA | I | 11 |
| Adams St (CO) | NCAA | II | 8 |
| North Central (IL) | NCAA | III | 13 |
| Adams St (CO) | NAIA | I | 12 |
| Women’s Cross Country | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Villanova | NCAA | I | 9 |
| Adams St (CO) | NCAA | II | 15 |
| Cortland St (NY) | NCAA | III | 7 |
| Simon Fraser (BC) | NAIA | I | 10 |
| Men’s & Women’s Fencing | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Penn St | NCAA | I | 12 |
| Field Hockey | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Old Dominion (VA) | NCAA | I | 9 |
| Bloomsburg (PA) | NCAA | II | 13 |
| The College of NJ | NCAA | III | 9 |
| Football | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Alabama | NCAA | I-FBS | 8 |
| Notre Dame (IN) | NCAA | I-FBS | 8 |
| Georgia Southern | NCAA | I-FCS | 6 |
| North Dakota St | NCAA | II | 5 |
| Mount Union (OH) | NCAA | III | 10 |
| Texas A&M-Kingsville | NAIA | I | 7 |
| Westminster (PA) | NAIA | II | 6 |
| Men’s Golf | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Houston (TX) | NCAA | I | 16 |
| Florida Southern | NCAA | II | 12 |
| Cal St Stanislaus | NCAA | III | 12 |
| Oklahoma City (OK) | NAIA | I | 7 |
| Women’s Golf | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Arizona St | NCAA | I | 7 |
| Rollins (FL) | NCAA | II | 5 |
| Methodist (NC) | NCAA | III | 12 |
| Oklahoma City (OK) | NAIA | I | 5 |
| Men’s Gymnastics | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Penn St | NCAA | I | 12 |
| Women’s Gymnastics | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Georgia | NCAA | I | 10 |
| Men’s Ice Hockey | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Michigan | NCAA | I | 9 |
| Middlebury (VT) | NCAA | III | 8 |
| Women’s Ice Hockey | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| UM Duluth (MN) | NCAA | I | 5 |
| Middlebury (VT) | NCAA | III | 3 |
| Men’s Indoor Track & Field | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Arkansas | NCAA | I | 19 |
| Abilene Christian (TX) | NCAA | II | 13 |
| UW La Crosse (WI) | NCAA | III | 15 |
| Azusa Pacific (CA) | NAIA | I | 8 |
| Women’s Indoor Track & Field | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| LSU (LA) | NCAA | I | 11 |
| Abilene Christian (TX) | NCAA | II | 13 |
| UW Oshkosh (WI) | NCAA | III | 7 |
| Wayland Baptist (TX) | NAIA | I | 5 |
| Men’s Lacrosse | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Syracuse (NY) | NCAA | I | 10 |
| Adelphi (NY) | NCAA | II | 7 |
| Hobart (NY) | NCAA | III | 13 |
| Women’s Lacrosse | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Maryland | NCAA | I | 10 |
| Adelphi (NY) | NCAA | II | 5 |
| The College of NJ | NCAA | III | 12 |
| Men’s Outdoor Track & Field | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Southern California | NCAA | I | 25 |
| Abilene Christian (TX) | NCAA | II | 19 |
| UW La Crosse (WI) | NCAA | III | 11 |
| Azusa Pacific (CA) | NAIA | I | 15 |
| Women’s Outdoor Track & Field | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| LSU (LA) | NCAA | I | 14 |
| Abilene Christian (TX) | NCAA | II | 10 |
| UW Oshkosh (WI) | NCAA | III | 9 |
| Prairie View A&M (TX) | NAIA | I | 9 |
| Men’s & Women’s Rifle | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| West Virginia | NCAA | I | 14 |
| Women’s Rowing | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Brown (RI) | NCAA | I | 7 |
| Western Washington | NCAA | II | 7 |
| Williams (MA) | NCAA | III | 7 |
| Men’s & Women’s Skiing | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Denver | NCAA | I | 21 |
| Men’s Soccer | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Saint Louis (MO) | NCAA | I | 10 |
| S Connecticut St | NCAA | II | 6 |
| Messiah (PA) | NCAA | III | 8 |
| Quincy (IL) | NAIA | I | 11 |
| Women’s Soccer | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| North Carolina | NCAA | I | 20 |
| Franklin Pierce (NH) | NCAA | II | 5 |
| UC San Diego (CA) | NCAA | III | 5 |
| Westmont (CA) | NAIA | I | 5 |
| Softball | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| UCLA (CA) | NCAA | I | 11 |
| Cal St Northridge | NCAA | II | 4 |
| The College of NJ | NCAA | III | 6 |
| Oklahoma City (OK) | NAIA | I | 8 |
| Men’s Swimming & Diving | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Michigan | NCAA | I | 11 |
| Ohio St | NCAA | I | 11 |
| Cal St Bakersfield | NCAA | II | 13 |
| Kenyon (OH) | NCAA | III | 31 |
| Simon Fraser (BC) | NAIA | I | 17 |
| Women’s Swimming & Diving | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Stanford (CA) | NCAA | I | 8 |
| Drury (MO) | NCAA | II | 8 |
| Kenyon (OH) | NCAA | III | 23 |
| Simon Fraser (BC) | NAIA | I | 11 |
| Men’s Tennis | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Southern California | NCAA | I | 19 |
| Lander (SC) | NCAA | II | 8 |
| Kalamazoo (MI) | NCAA | III | 7 |
| UC Santa Cruz (CA) | NCAA | III | 7 |
| Redlands (CA) | NAIA | I | 11 |
| Women’s Tennis | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Stanford (CA) | NCAA | I | 16 |
| BYU-Hawaii | NCAA | II | 7 |
| Williams (MA) | NCAA | III | 6 |
| Auburn-Montgomery (AL) | NAIA | I | 11 |
| Men’s Volleyball | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| UCLA (CA) | NCAA | I | 19 |
| Women’s Volleyball | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Stanford (CA) | NCAA | I | 6 |
| Concordia (MN) | NCAA | II | 4 |
| Portland St (OR) | NCAA | II | 4 |
| Washington-St. Louis (MO) | NCAA | III | 10 |
| BYU-Hawaii | NAIA | I | 8 |
| Men’s Water Polo | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| California | NCAA | I | 13 |
| Women’s Water Polo | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| UCLA (CA) | NCAA | I | 7 |
| Wrestling | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Oklahoma St | NCAA | I | 31 |
| Cal Poly | NCAA | II | 8 |
| Cal St Bakersfield | NCAA | II | 8 |
| Augsburg (MN) | NCAA | III | 11 |
| Adams St (CO) | NAIA | I | 8 |
| Central St (OH) | NAIA | I | 8 |
| Discontinued Championships | |||
| Men’s Bowling | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Harding (AR) | NAIA | I | 4 |
| Men’s Boxing | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Wisconsin | NCAA | I | 4 |
| Men’s Fencing | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| NYU | NCAA | 1 | 12 |
| Women’s Fencing | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Wayne St (MI) | NCAA | I | 3 |
| Women’s Golf | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Methodist (NC) | NCAA | I/II | 3 |
| Men’s Gymnastics | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Cal St Northridge | NCAA | II | 4 |
| UW Oshkosh (WI) | NAIA | I | 8 |
| Women’s Gymnastics | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Jacksonville St (AL) | NCAA | II | 2 |
| Centenary (LA) | NAIA | I | 2 |
| Georgia College | NAIA | I | 2 |
| Winona St (MN) | NAIA | I | 2 |
| Men’s Ice Hockey | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Bemidji St (MN) | NCAA | II | 5 |
| Bemidji St (MN) | NAIA | I | 7 |
| Men’s Trampoline | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| Michigan | NCAA | I | 2 |
| Men’s Volleyball | |||
| School | Org | Div | Championships |
| George Williams (WI) (Defunct) | NAIA | I | 3 |
| Graceland (IA) | NAIA | I | 3 |
- Methodist (NC) has won every NCAA Women’s Golf Division III national championship, but that only includes 12 seasons. Michigan also won every championships in the shortly run NCAA Trampoline championship (2 seasons).
- Kenyon’s (OH) Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving teams have won 54 out of the 67 (81%) national championships handed out in the sport. From 1984-2000 Kenyon (OH) won every Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming championships.
- Abilene Christian (TX), Adams St (CO), Oklahoma City (OK), and UCLA (CA) have won the “most” national championships in four different sports.
Some collegiate sports have been dominated by a select few. Take for example in Women’s Cross Country Division II where Adams St (15) and Cal Poly (9) have won over 85% of the sports championships. Meanwhile the most dominate teams (Alabama & Notre Dame (IN) in Division I-FBS College Football have won only 9% of the sports championships. Check out the chart below to check each sports championship parity or lack thereof.
Legend: # of Dif Champ (The number of different schools that have won national championships), Champ/School (The number of championships won per championship winning schools).
Note: A low Champ/School number indicates more championship parity.
| Baseball | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/School |
| NCAA | I | 25 | 2.6 |
| NCAA | II | 22 | 2.0 |
| NCAA | III | 19 | 1.9 |
| NAIA | I | 31 | 1.8 |
| Men’s Basketball | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 35 | 2.1 |
| NCAA | II | 37 | 1.5 |
| NCAA | III | 23 | 1.6 |
| NAIA | I | 52 | 1.4 |
| NAIA | II | 15 | 1.3 |
| Women’s Basketball | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 14 | 2.1 |
| NCAA | II | 16 | 1.8 |
| NCAA | III | 19 | 1.4 |
| NAIA | I | 12 | 2.6 |
| NAIA | II | 11 | 1.8 |
| Women’s Bowling | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 4 | 2.0 |
| Men’s Cross Country | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 22 | 3.3 |
| NCAA | II | 25 | 2.1 |
| NCAA | III | 16 | 2.4 |
| NAIA | I | 17 | 3.2 |
| Women’s Cross Country | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 11 | 2.7 |
| NCAA | II | 4 | 7.0 |
| NCAA | III | 12 | 2.6 |
| NAIA | I | 15 | 2.1 |
| Men’s & Women’s Fencing | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 6 | 3.7 |
| Field Hockey | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 8 | 3.8 |
| NCAA | II | 5 | 4.4 |
| NCAA | III | 11 | 2.7 |
| Football | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I-FBS | 30 | 2.8 |
| NCAA | I-FCS | 20 | 1.7 |
| NCAA | II | 21 | 1.8 |
| NCAA | III | 17 | 2.2 |
| NAIA | I | 30 | 2.0 |
| NAIA | II | 15 | 1.8 |
| Men’s Golf | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 28 | 2.7 |
| NCAA | II | 22 | 2.2 |
| NCAA | III | 14 | 2.6 |
| NAIA | I | 29 | 2.1 |
| Women’s Golf | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 12 | 2.4 |
| NCAA | II | 3 | 4.0 |
| NCAA | III | 1 | 12.0 |
| NAIA | I | 9 | 1.9 |
| Men’s Gymnastics | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 19 | 3.7 |
| Women’s Gymnastics | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 4 | 7.5 |
| Men’s Ice Hockey | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 18 | 3.6 |
| NCAA | III | 12 | 2.3 |
| Women’s Ice Hockey | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 3 | 3.7 |
| NCAA | III | 5 | 2.0 |
| Men’s Indoor Track & Field | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 16 | 2.9 |
| NCAA | II | 4 | 6.5 |
| NCAA | III | 6 | 4.7 |
| NAIA | I | 18 | 2.6 |
| Women’s Indoor Track & Field | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 9 | 3.2 |
| NCAA | II | 7 | 3.7 |
| NCAA | III | 8 | 3.4 |
| NAIA | I | 13 | 2.4 |
| Men’s Lacrosse | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 8 | 5.0 |
| NCAA | II | 12 | 2.3 |
| NCAA | III | 7 | 4.6 |
| Women’s Lacrosse | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 10 | 3.0 |
| NCAA | II | 4 | 2.8 |
| NCAA | III | 8 | 3.3 |
| Men’s Outdoor Track | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 23 | 3.8 |
| NCAA | II | 15 | 3.3 |
| NCAA | III | 11 | 3.5 |
| NAIA | I | 24 | 2.5 |
| Women’s Outdoor Track | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 10 | 3.0 |
| NCAA | II | 7 | 4.3 |
| NCAA | III | 11 | 2.8 |
| NAIA | I | 12 | 2.7 |
| Men’s & Women’s Rifle | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 7 | 4.6 |
| Women’s Rowing | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 6 | 2.5 |
| NCAA | II | 3 | 3.3 |
| NCAA | III | 3 | 3.7 |
| Men’s & Women’s Skiing | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 7 | 8.4 |
| Men’s Soccer | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 22 | 2.4 |
| NCAA | II | 23 | 1.7 |
| NCAA | III | 19 | 1.9 |
| NAIA | I | 25 | 2.2 |
| Women’s Soccer | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 7 | 4.1 |
| NCAA | II | 14 | 1.6 |
| NCAA | III | 12 | 2.1 |
| NAIA | I | 11 | 2.5 |
| Softball | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 10 | 2.9 |
| NCAA | II | 20 | 1.5 |
| NCAA | III | 16 | 1.9 |
| NAIA | I | 18 | 1.7 |
| Men’s Swimming & Diving | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 13 | 5.8 |
| NCAA | II | 11 | 4.4 |
| NCAA | III | 5 | 7.4 |
| NAIA | I | 13 | 4.2 |
| Women’s Swimming & Diving | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 8 | 3.8 |
| NCAA | II | 7 | 4.3 |
| NCAA | III | 4 | 7.5 |
| NAIA | I | 8 | 3.9 |
| Men’s Tennis | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 13 | 5.2 |
| NCAA | II | 20 | 2.6 |
| NCAA | III | 14 | 2.6 |
| NAIA | I | 21 | 2.9 |
| Women’s Tennis | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 8 | 3.8 |
| NCAA | II | 10 | 3.0 |
| NCAA | III | 15 | 2.0 |
| NAIA | I | 14 | 2.4 |
| Men’s Volleyball | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 10 | 4.0 |
| Women’s Volleyball | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 10 | 3.0 |
| NCAA | II | 15 | 2.0 |
| NCAA | III | 9 | 3.3 |
| NAIA | I | 11 | 2.8 |
| Men’s Water Polo | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 7 | 6.0 |
| Women’s Water Polo | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 3 | 3.7 |
| Wrestling | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 10 | 7.7 |
| NCAA | II | 13 | 3.8 |
| NCAA | III | 10 | 3.8 |
| NAIA | I | 18 | 3.1 |
| Discontinued Championships | |||
| Men’s Bowling | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NAIA | I | 11 | 1.5 |
| Men’s Boxing | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 7 | 2.0 |
| Men’s Fencing | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 14 | 3.4 |
| Women’s Fencing | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 5 | 1.6 |
| Women’s Golf | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I/II | 2 | 2.0 |
| Men’s Gymnastics | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | II | 8 | 2.1 |
| NAIA | I | 6 | 3.5 |
| Women’s Gymnastics | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | II | 4 | 1.3 |
| NAIA | I | 5 | 1.6 |
| Men’s Ice Hockey | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | II | 7 | 2.0 |
| NAIA | I | 5 | 1.6 |
| Men’s Trampoline | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NCAA | I | 1 | 2.0 |
| Men’s Volleyball | |||
| Org | Div | # of Dif Champ | Champ/Tm |
| NAIA | I | 6 | 1.8 |
Reference: Sources used to compile list of NCAA/NAIA national champions.
Tex Noel said
Great job Andrew.
However, a small change:
Westminster (UT) NAIAII6………. should be Westminster (PA) NAIA II 6
Andrew McKillop said
Thanks for the correction Tex. It says Westminster (PA) on the NAIA site, so it must have grabbed the wrong state/city in the vlookup command. Which is good because today I’m working on the geography of NCAA/NAIA national championships.
mike said
u of m has 11 in football
Andrew McKillop said
I’m not refuting that Michigan won 11 national championships in football, but most of those came before the two widely recognized polls were conducted, thus I didn’t count them. Princeton and Yale would also have a pile of football national championships if I counted unofficial championships won retroactively.
It’s also important to keep in mind that there are a handful of polls/rating systems today that award national champions. If I were to include every poll/rating system, Missouri and Utah would have to be listed as winning national champions. An accolade most wouldn’t agree with.
This is why I only used the AP and Coaches poll to select FBS football national champions for the database.
Muldoon said
Andrew, all good stuff and very interesting. But limiting this research to the NCAA and ignoring the existence of the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (and Men’s Rowing in general) is a shortfall.
Look here: http://www.rowinghistory.net/IRA.htm
In this list, you’ll find that Cornell has won 38 national championships since 1871 (and that is just in the varsity heavyweight division). It appears that would make Cornell Men’s Rowing first on your list of all-time champs.
Andrew McKillop said
I suppose it’s a shortfall but it’s what I’m sticking to. Perhaps I’ll make a second list for non-NCAA/NAIA sports.
If I start including sports outside of the NCAA/NAIA and lump them all together where do I stop? I wanted to include rowing originally, but then I felt I would probably have to add table tennis, ultimate frisbee, rodeo, etc.
I certainly appreciate the history of rowing and it’s significance in college athletics. But my scope was the NCAA and NAIA.