[terry]

With Stanford's national championship in women's swimming, the leaders in total NCAA team championships are:

119  Stanford
116  UCLA
108  USC
52    Oklahoma St.
51    Penn St.
46    Texas
45    Arkansas
44    North Carolina
43    LSU
37    Cal

At the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, UCLA led Stanford by 6 championships (111-105). In the 4+ school years since then, Stanford has won 14 championships while UCLA has won 5.

[terry]

With Stanford's national championship in women's swimming, the leaders in total NCAA team championships are:

119  Stanford
116  UCLA
108  USC
52    Oklahoma St.
51    Penn St.
46    Texas
45    Arkansas
44    North Carolina
43    LSU
37    Cal

At the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, UCLA led Stanford by 6 championships (111-105). In the 4+ school years since then, Stanford has won 14 championships while UCLA has won 5.

[ColoradoTree]

The recent trajectory is flat-out amazing. What a ride this athletic department takes us on each and every year!

Of course, I'll always terrified that UCLA will finally put together a monster spring season that it's always capable of doing, while we stub our toes in various sports. (UCLA is currently #1 in three different spring sports, Top 5 in three others, and Top 10 in another; we tend to have more championship shots in the fall and winter, while UCLA has more shots in the spring.)

Here's a quick look at the spring sports where UCLA has an advantage, where we have an advantage, and where both teams have a similar (though realistic) shot at the title:

UCLA advantage:

Softball (UCLA is #1, we're unranked, albeit improving)
Beach Volleyball (UCLA is #1, we're #14)

Both teams with similar shots:

Men's volleyball (UCLA is #5, we're #6) (I'd be surprised if we won, though)
Women's water polo (we're #2; UCLA is #3)
Women's golf (we're #4; UCLA is #5)
Baseball (UCLA is #1, we're #2/#3)

Stanford advantage:

Women's tennis (we're #4; UCLA is #9)
Men's tennis (we're #7; UCLA is #17) (though I'd be surprised if we won--Ohio State and Wake Forest are so good)

[ColoradoTree]

The recent trajectory is flat-out amazing. What a ride this athletic department takes us on each and every year!

Of course, I'll always terrified that UCLA will finally put together a monster spring season that it's always capable of doing, while we stub our toes in various sports. (UCLA is currently #1 in three different spring sports, Top 5 in three others, and Top 10 in another; we tend to have more championship shots in the fall and winter, while UCLA has more shots in the spring.)

Here's a quick look at the spring sports where UCLA has an advantage, where we have an advantage, and where both teams have a similar (though realistic) shot at the title:

UCLA advantage:

Softball (UCLA is #1, we're unranked, albeit improving)
Beach Volleyball (UCLA is #1, we're #14)

Both teams with similar shots:

Men's volleyball (UCLA is #5, we're #6) (I'd be surprised if we won, though)
Women's water polo (we're #2; UCLA is #3)
Women's golf (we're #4; UCLA is #5)
Baseball (UCLA is #1, we're #2/#3)

Stanford advantage:

Women's tennis (we're #4; UCLA is #9)
Men's tennis (we're #7; UCLA is #17) (though I'd be surprised if we won--Ohio State and Wake Forest are so good)

[Bruce Wang]

Do these totals include that championship the University of Scandal & Corruption had to vacate?

I wonder if they will have to vacate all those water polo championships.

[Bruce Wang]

Do these totals include that championship the University of Scandal & Corruption had to vacate?

I wonder if they will have to vacate all those water polo championships.

[BostonCard]

With Stanford's national championship in women's swimming, the leaders in total NCAA team championships are:

119  Stanford
116  UCLA
108  USC
52    Oklahoma St.
50    Penn St.
46    Texas
45    Arkansas
44    North Carolina
43    LSU
37    Cal

At the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, UCLA led Stanford by 6 championships (111-105). In the 4+ school years since then, Stanford has won 14 championships while UCLA has won 5.

The gap between the top 3 and everyone else is a factor of 2!  And the gap between the top 3 California schools and the fourth Pac-12 California school is almost a factor of 3!  Why has Cal underperformed so much?

BC

[BostonCard]

With Stanford's national championship in women's swimming, the leaders in total NCAA team championships are:

119  Stanford
116  UCLA
108  USC
52    Oklahoma St.
50    Penn St.
46    Texas
45    Arkansas
44    North Carolina
43    LSU
37    Cal

At the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, UCLA led Stanford by 6 championships (111-105). In the 4+ school years since then, Stanford has won 14 championships while UCLA has won 5.

The gap between the top 3 and everyone else is a factor of 2!  And the gap between the top 3 California schools and the fourth Pac-12 California school is almost a factor of 3!  Why has Cal underperformed so much?

BC

[terry]

Do these totals include that championship the University of Scandal & Corruption had to vacate?

I wonder if they will have to vacate all those water polo championships.

I don't think any of USC's NCAA championships have been vacated. 

USC's 2004 BCS football championship was vacated, but football championships are not official NCAA championships. So vacating the Trojans' BCS championship did not affect the NCAA team championship totals.

The NCAA vacated UCLA's 1995 softball championship, so it was not included in the totals I posted earlier.

[terry]

Do these totals include that championship the University of Scandal & Corruption had to vacate?

I wonder if they will have to vacate all those water polo championships.

I don't think any of USC's NCAA championships have been vacated. 

USC's 2004 BCS football championship was vacated, but football championships are not official NCAA championships. So vacating the Trojans' BCS championship did not affect the NCAA team championship totals.

The NCAA vacated UCLA's 1995 softball championship, so it was not included in the totals I posted earlier.

[yvonne]

With Stanford's national championship in women's swimming, the leaders in total NCAA team championships are:

119  Stanford
116  UCLA
108  USC
52    Oklahoma St.
50    Penn St.
46    Texas
45    Arkansas
44    North Carolina
43    LSU
37    Cal

At the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, UCLA led Stanford by 6 championships (111-105). In the 4+ school years since then, Stanford has won 14 championships while UCLA has won 5.

The gap between the top 3 and everyone else is a factor of 2!  And the gap between the top 3 California schools and the fourth Pac-12 California school is almost a factor of 3!  Why has Cal underperformed so much?

BC

because it's Cal.

[yvonne]

With Stanford's national championship in women's swimming, the leaders in total NCAA team championships are:

119  Stanford
116  UCLA
108  USC
52    Oklahoma St.
50    Penn St.
46    Texas
45    Arkansas
44    North Carolina
43    LSU
37    Cal

At the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, UCLA led Stanford by 6 championships (111-105). In the 4+ school years since then, Stanford has won 14 championships while UCLA has won 5.

The gap between the top 3 and everyone else is a factor of 2!  And the gap between the top 3 California schools and the fourth Pac-12 California school is almost a factor of 3!  Why has Cal underperformed so much?

BC

because it's Cal.

[OL84]

Late here, but thanks for the facts Terry.

Don't sleep on USC.  They are performing a high level across many sports, though recent scandals may have an impact.  Men's and women's water polo have been major drivers of their NCCA championship leaderboard success.

[OL84]

Late here, but thanks for the facts Terry.

Don't sleep on USC.  They are performing a high level across many sports, though recent scandals may have an impact.  Men's and women's water polo have been major drivers of their NCCA championship leaderboard success.

[cardcrimson]

Still five behind UCLA in total team collegiate national championships:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NC...mpionships

Apparently for a period of time, a lot a sports, especially many women's sports weren't sponsored by the NCAA. Most are now included such as swimming, water polo, cross country, softball, soccer, etc. though the earlier titles are not included in the NCAA list.

[cardcrimson]

Still five behind UCLA in total team collegiate national championships:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NC...mpionships

Apparently for a period of time, a lot a sports, especially many women's sports weren't sponsored by the NCAA. Most are now included such as swimming, water polo, cross country, softball, soccer, etc. though the earlier titles are not included in the NCAA list.

[terry]

Still five behind UCLA in total team collegiate national championships:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NC...mpionships

Apparently for a period of time, a lot a sports, especially many women's sports weren't sponsored by the NCAA. Most are now included such as swimming, water polo, cross country, softball, soccer, etc. though the earlier titles are not included in the NCAA list.

Once you go beyond the list of official NCAA team championships, there is an element of judgment about which non-NCAA championships you decide to include on your list.

The Wikipedia page linked in this post starts with NCAA championships, then adds football championships, AIAW championships, and championships in selected other sports. But it also omits some sports. 

For example, the linked list includes IRA men's rowing championships. But it does not include IRA lightweight rowing championships. Stanford has won 8 women's lightweight rowing championships. If you were to add lightweight rowing to the linked list, you would get a different result.

As another example, the linked list includes women's equestrian championships because the NCAA has designated women's equestrian as an "emerging sport" for women. But women's rugby is not included, even though it is also an NCAA-designated "emerging sport." Stanford has won 4 women's rugby championships (USA Rugby Division 1). Those aren't included on this list.

There are other examples of judgment calls on this list. The linked list is one possible way to count championships, but it's nothing close to an official, comprehensive list.

[terry]

Still five behind UCLA in total team collegiate national championships:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NC...mpionships

Apparently for a period of time, a lot a sports, especially many women's sports weren't sponsored by the NCAA. Most are now included such as swimming, water polo, cross country, softball, soccer, etc. though the earlier titles are not included in the NCAA list.

Once you go beyond the list of official NCAA team championships, there is an element of judgment about which non-NCAA championships you decide to include on your list.

The Wikipedia page linked in this post starts with NCAA championships, then adds football championships, AIAW championships, and championships in selected other sports. But it also omits some sports. 

For example, the linked list includes IRA men's rowing championships. But it does not include IRA lightweight rowing championships. Stanford has won 8 women's lightweight rowing championships. If you were to add lightweight rowing to the linked list, you would get a different result.

As another example, the linked list includes women's equestrian championships because the NCAA has designated women's equestrian as an "emerging sport" for women. But women's rugby is not included, even though it is also an NCAA-designated "emerging sport." Stanford has won 4 women's rugby championships (USA Rugby Division 1). Those aren't included on this list.

There are other examples of judgment calls on this list. The linked list is one possible way to count championships, but it's nothing close to an official, comprehensive list.