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List of Big Ten Conference national championships

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The list of Big Ten national championships includes championships won by teams from the Big Ten Conference and former member Chicago. Including football champions listed in the official NCAA Records book,[1] Big Ten teams have compiled 303 NCAA and Football Bowl Subdivision national championships (as of January 9, 2024) during their years of membership. Prior to NCAA sponsorship of women's sports, Big Ten teams, as members of the AIAW, also won 6 undisputed national championships in 1976–82. Notably, in the 2021–22 academic year, Big Ten members won four titles: (1) Northwestern won the NCAA field hockey championship. It is the first for Northwestern in field hockey and the first for the Big Ten since 2001 when Michigan won the title; (2) Wisconsin won the NCAA women's volleyball championship marking the first title for the Badgers in the sport. Wisconsin becomes the third Big Ten school to win in women's volleyball, joining Penn State and Nebraska. It also is the first for the conference since Nebraska won the title in 2017; (3) Penn State won the wrestling championship continuing the Big Ten's championship streak since 2007. Penn State has won nine of the last eleven wrestling titles and tenth overall and (4) Ohio State won the NCAA women's ice hockey championship for the first time in the school's history and only the second NCAA women's sport where the Buckeyes have won a title, joining women's rowing. The title continues the streak of a Big Ten team winning the women's ice hockey title as Wisconsin won the prior two championships.

Listed below are all championship teams of NCAA-sponsored events, as well as the titles won in football, which has a Division I championship not sanctioned by the NCAA. The main list in Sections 2, 3 and 4 includes championships won by Chicago when it was a member, but does not credit a Big Ten NCAA championship to current Big Ten member schools before they joined the conference. These prior titles are separately indicated.

  • Michigan State joined in 1950 and competed in the conference for the first time in 1953.
  • Penn State joined in 1990 and competed in the conference for the first time in 1991.[2]
  • Nebraska joined in 2011.
  • Rutgers and Maryland joined in 2014. Johns Hopkins joined in 2014 for men's lacrosse and began play in spring 2015.

Teams

[edit]
Institution Location Founded Joined conference Nickname Varsity teams NCAA championships

as a conference member only (updated March 25, 2024)[1][3]

University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign, Illinois 1867 1896 Fighting Illini 21 22 (4 in football)[1]
Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana 1820 1899
(Athletics 1900)
Hoosiers 24 24
University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 1847 1899
(Athletics 1900)
Hawkeyes 24 28 (3 in football)[1]
University of Maryland College Park, Maryland 1856 2014 Terrapins 20 6
University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 1817 1896
(Inactive 1907–1916)
Wolverines 27 50 (14 in football)[1]
Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan 1858 1950
(Athletics 1953)
Spartans 25 18 (2 in football)[1]
University of Minnesota MinneapolisSaint Paul, Minnesota 1851 1896 Golden Gophers 25 26 (7 in football)[1]
University of Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska 1869 2011 Cornhuskers 21 4
Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois 1851 1896 Wildcats 19 9
Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 1870 1912 Buckeyes 36 42 (10 in football)[1]
Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania 1855 1990
(Athletics 1991)
Nittany Lions and Lady Lions 30 34
Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana 1869 1896 Purdue Boilermakers 18 4 (1 in football)[1]
Rutgers University New BrunswickPiscataway, New Jersey 1766 2014 Scarlet Knights 27 0
University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin 1848 1896 Badgers 23 33 (1 in football)[1]
Associate Members Location Founded Joined Conference Nickname Current Varsity Teams NCAA Championships

as a member

Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland 1876 2014 Blue Jays 2 Big Ten
(22 others)
0
University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana 1842 2017 Fighting Irish 1 Big Ten
(22 others)
0
Former Member Location Founded Joined Conference Nickname Current Varsity Teams NCAA Championships

as a member

University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois 1890 1896 Maroons 19 3 (2 in football)[1]

† includes football national championships by Big Ten members starting in 1901, as listed in the official NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records book[1]

Most recent NCAA championship

[edit]
Team Academic Year Sport
Illinois 2011–12 Men's Gymnastics
Indiana 2012–13 Men's Soccer
Iowa 2020–21 Wrestling
Maryland 2021–22 Men's Lacrosse
Michigan 2023–24 Football
Michigan State 2014–15 Women's Cross Country
Minnesota 2015–16 Women's Ice Hockey
Nebraska 2020–21 Women's Bowling
Northwestern 2021–22 Field Hockey
Ohio State 2023–24 Women's Ice Hockey
Penn State 2023–24 Wrestling
Purdue 2009–10 Women's Golf
Rutgers 1948–49 Men's Fencing (tie)
Wisconsin 2022–23 Women's Ice Hockey

* most recent NCAA championship won by a member of the conference

Fall NCAA sports

[edit]

Men's cross country (12)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Michigan State won four and Penn State won three NCAA titles in men's cross country. (7 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
1938 Indiana
1940 Indiana
1942 Indiana†
1955 Michigan State
1956 Michigan State
1958 Michigan State
1959 Michigan State
1982 Wisconsin
1985 Wisconsin
1988 Wisconsin
2005 Wisconsin
2011 Wisconsin

† Co-champion with Penn State

Women's cross country (3)

[edit]
Year School
1984 Wisconsin
1985 Wisconsin
2014 Michigan State

Field hockey (3)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Maryland won 8 NCAA titles and Penn State won 2 AIAW national titles in Field Hockey. (8 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
1986 Iowa
2001 Michigan
2021 Northwestern

Football (44)

[edit]

The Division I (FBS) football championship is not officially bestowed by the NCAA; however, the Big Ten teams among the champions and co-champions listed in its official NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records[1] book are shown below. Prior to joining the Big Ten, Nebraska won 3 football national titles and 2 co-titles, Penn State won 2 national titles, Maryland won one national title, and Michigan State won one championship (1952, the year before it began Big Ten competition).[1] The NCAA was formed in 1906 to address violent injuries in the sport.

Year National Champion(s)†
1901 Michigan & 2 others
1902 Michigan & 1 other
1903 Michigan & 1 other
1904 Michigan, Minnesota & 1 other
1905 Chicago & 1 other
1913 Chicago & 2 others
1914 Illinois & 2 others
1918 Michigan & 1 other
1919 Illinois & 4 others
1921 Iowa & 5 others
1922 Iowa & 4 others
1923 Illinois, Michigan & 2 others
1925 Michigan & 2 others
1926 Michigan & 4 others
1927 Illinois & 4 others
1931 Purdue & 2 others
1932 Michigan & 2 others
1933 Michigan, Ohio State & 2 others
1934 Minnesota & 1 other
1935 Minnesota & 4 others
1936 Minnesota & 2 others
1940 Minnesota & 2 others
1941 Minnesota & 2 others
1942 Ohio State, Wisconsin & 1 other
1944 Ohio State & 1 other
1947 Michigan & 1 other
1948 Michigan
1954 Ohio State & 1 other
1957 Ohio State & 1 other
1958 Iowa & 1 other
1960 Minnesota & 1 other
1961 Ohio State & 1 other
1965 Michigan State & 1 other
1966 Michigan State & 1 other
1968 Ohio State
1970 Ohio State & 2 others
1997 Michigan & 1 other
2002 Ohio State
2014 Ohio State
2023 Michigan

† As listed in official NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records.[1] For 1950 to present, includes only recognized consensus selections (AP, UP-UPI-USAT, FWAA, NFF)

Men's soccer (12)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Maryland won 3 NCAA titles in Men's Soccer (1968 [tie], 2005, 2008) and Penn State won 6 national titles awarded by the ISFA in the era before NCAA championships.

Year School
1967 Michigan State†
1968 Michigan State‡
1982 Indiana
1983 Indiana
1988 Indiana
1995 Wisconsin
1998 Indiana
1999 Indiana
2003 Indiana
2004 Indiana
2012 Indiana
2018 Maryland

† Co-champion with Saint Louis (game called because of weather)

‡ Co-champion with Maryland (game ended in tie)

Women's soccer (1)

[edit]
Year School
2015 Penn State

Women's volleyball (10)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Nebraska won 3 NCAA titles in women's volleyball. (3 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
1999 Penn State
2007 Penn State
2008 Penn State
2009 Penn State
2010 Penn State
2013 Penn State
2014 Penn State
2015 Nebraska
2017 Nebraska
2021 Wisconsin

Winter NCAA sports

[edit]

Men's basketball (10)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Maryland won 1 NCAA title in men's basketball (2002). (1 NCAA before Big Ten)

The NCAA championship tournament began in 1939.

Year School
1902 Minnesota†
1907 Chicago†
1908 Chicago†
1909 Chicago†
1912 Wisconsin†
1914 Wisconsin†
1915 Illinois†
1916 Wisconsin†
1919 Minnesota†
1931 Northwestern†
1932 Purdue†
1940 Indiana
1941 Wisconsin
1953 Indiana
1960 Ohio State
1976 Indiana
1979 Michigan State
1981 Indiana
1987 Indiana
1989 Michigan
2000 Michigan State

† Selected by Helms Athletic Foundation, formed in 1936, who compiled a retroactive list of college basketball champions in 1942 for the previous 41 years. In 12 of those years, a Big Ten team was selected: 1902, 1907–09, 1912, 1914–16, 1919, 1931–32, 1941. Chicago's 1908 national title was won in a championship series against the University of Pennsylvania.

Women's basketball (1)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Rutgers won 1 AIAW championship (1982), and Maryland won 1 NCAA title in women's basketball (2006). (1 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
1999 Purdue

Men's gymnastics (25)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Penn State won 9 NCAA titles in men's gymnastics, and Nebraska won 8 NCAA titles. (17 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
1938 Chicago
1939 Illinois
1940 Illinois
1941 Illinois
1942 Illinois
1950 Illinois
1955 Illinois
1956 Illinois
1958 Illinois & Michigan State
1963 Michigan
1969 Iowa
1970 Michigan
1984 Ohio State
1989 Illinois
1996 Ohio State
1999 Michigan
2000 Penn State
2001 Ohio State
2004 Penn State
2007 Penn State
2010 Michigan
2012 Illinois
2013 Michigan
2014 Michigan

Trampoline (2)

Until 1969, trampoline was one of the events that comprised the NCAA men's gymnastics championships. At that time, the event was removed in order to conform to the international gymnastics itinerary. The NCAA continued to bestow a national title in trampoline for two years.[4][5]

Year School
1969 Michigan
1970 Michigan

Women's gymnastics (1)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, and prior to the NCAA sponsored championship, Penn State won 2 AIAW national championships.

Year School
2021 Michigan

Men's ice hockey (23)

[edit]

Men's ice hockey became an official Big Ten sport in the 2013–14 season.

Year School
1948 Michigan
1951 Michigan
1952 Michigan
1953 Michigan
1955 Michigan
1956 Michigan
1964 Michigan
1966 Michigan State
1973 Wisconsin
1974 Minnesota
1976 Minnesota
1977 Wisconsin
1979 Minnesota
1981 Wisconsin
1983 Wisconsin
1986 Michigan State
1990 Wisconsin
1996 Michigan
1998 Michigan
2002 Minnesota
2003 Minnesota
2006 Wisconsin
2007 Michigan State

Men's swimming and diving (29)

[edit]
Year School
1924 Northwestern†
1927 Michigan†
1928 Michigan†
1929 Northwestern†
1930 Northwestern†[6]
1931 Michigan†[7]
1932 Michigan†
1933 Northwestern†[8]
1934 Michigan†
1935 Michigan†
1936 Michigan†
1937 Michigan
1938 Michigan
1939 Michigan
1940 Michigan
1941 Michigan
1943 Ohio State
1945 Ohio State
1946 Ohio State
1947 Ohio State
1948 Michigan
1949 Ohio State
1950 Ohio State
1952 Ohio State
1954 Ohio State
1955 Ohio State
1956 Ohio State
1957 Michigan
1958 Michigan
1959 Michigan
1961 Michigan
1962 Ohio State
1968 Indiana
1969 Indiana
1970 Indiana
1971 Indiana
1972 Indiana
1973 Indiana
1995 Michigan
2013 Michigan

† From inception in 1924 through 1936, NCAA team swimming championships were unofficial because team points were not officially awarded. Team champions were nevertheless proclaimed in the newspapers of the time.[6][7][8][9]

Men's indoor track & field (1)

[edit]
Year School
2007 Wisconsin

Women's indoor track & field (0)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Nebraska in 1982–1984 won 1 AIAW and 2 NCAA indoor women's track and field titles. (2 NCAA before Big Ten)

Men's wrestling (41)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Penn State won one NCAA title in men's wrestling. (1 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
1932 Indiana
1967 Michigan State
1975 Iowa
1976 Iowa
1978 Iowa
1979 Iowa
1980 Iowa
1981 Iowa
1982 Iowa
1983 Iowa
1984 Iowa
1985 Iowa
1986 Iowa
1991 Iowa
1992 Iowa
1993 Iowa
1995 Iowa
1996 Iowa
1997 Iowa
1998 Iowa
1999 Iowa
2000 Iowa
2001 Minnesota
2002 Minnesota
2007 Minnesota
2008 Iowa
2009 Iowa
2010 Iowa
2011 Penn State
2012 Penn State
2013 Penn State
2014 Penn State
2015 Ohio State
2016 Penn State
2017 Penn State
2018 Penn State
2019 Penn State
2021 Iowa
2022 Penn State
2023 Penn State
2024 Penn State

† In 1928 and from 1931 to 1933, an NCAA team championship was not awarded because team scoring was unofficial.

Spring NCAA sports

[edit]

Baseball (6)

[edit]
Year School
1953 Michigan
1956 Minnesota
1960 Minnesota
1962 Michigan
1964 Minnesota
1966 Ohio State

Men's golf (4)

[edit]

Prior to the NCAA sponsored championship, Michigan won 2 national titles.

Year School
1934 Michigan°
1935 Michigan°
1945 Ohio State
1961 Purdue
1979 Ohio State
2002 Minnesota

° NIGA national champion

Women's golf (1)

[edit]
Year School
2010 Purdue

Men's lacrosse (2)

[edit]

Men's lacrosse became an official Big Ten sport in the 2015 season.

Prior to joining the Big Ten as a men's lacrosse affiliate, Johns Hopkins won 35 national titles in the era before the NCAA organized men's lacrosse championships, plus nine NCAA titles. Maryland has nine pre-NCAA national titles and two NCAA titles. (11 NCAA before Big Ten)

The NCAA did not organize national championships in men's lacrosse until the 1971 season. Before that time, other bodies awarded national titles based on regular season records, most notably the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. Rutgers shared two national titles, in 1928 and 1955 (a Division II co-championship).

Year School
2017 Maryland
2022 Maryland

Women's lacrosse (10)

[edit]

Women's lacrosse became an official Big Ten sport in the 2015 season.

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Maryland won 11 NCAA titles and Penn State won 2 NCAA titles in women's lacrosse. (13 NCAA before Big Ten)

Prior to the NCAA sponsored championship, Penn State won 3 national titles and Maryland won 1 AIAW national title.

Year School
2005 Northwestern
2006 Northwestern
2007 Northwestern
2008 Northwestern
2009 Northwestern
2011 Northwestern
2012 Northwestern
2015 Maryland
2017 Maryland
2019 Maryland

Women's rowing (3)

[edit]

Prior to the NCAA sponsored championship, Wisconsin won 5 national titles.

Year School
1975 Wisconsin†
1976 Wisconsin†
1977 Wisconsin†
1978 Wisconsin†
1986 Wisconsin†
2013 Ohio State
2014 Ohio State
2015 Ohio State

NWRA College Eights Champion

Softball (1)

[edit]

Prior to the NCAA sponsored championship, Michigan State won 1 national title.

Year School
1976 Michigan State†
2005 Michigan

AIAW National Champion

Men's tennis (2)

[edit]
Year School
1957 Michigan
2003 Illinois

Women's tennis (0)

[edit]

At the same time that the first NCAA Division I women's tennis championship was held (attracting the top-ranked teams), the AIAW conducted its last tennis championship, which was won by Indiana.

Year School
1982 Indiana†

AIAW National Champion

Men's outdoor track & field (9)

[edit]
Year School
1921 Illinois
1923 Michigan
1927 Illinois†
1929 Ohio State
1932 Indiana
1944 Illinois
1946 Illinois
1947 Illinois
1948 Minnesota

† From 1925 through 1927, the NCAA team championship was unofficial because team points were not officially scored.

National championships in sports not sponsored by the Big Ten

[edit]

In addition to the national championship titles won in Big Ten sponsored sports, some Big Ten schools participate in official varsity sports not offered by the NCAA (e.g., men's rowing, synchronized swimming) as well as other NCAA sports for which no Big Ten championship is contested. These include bowling, fencing, women's ice hockey, rifle, men's volleyball, and men's and women's water polo, as well as men's ice hockey before the 2013–14 school year plus men's and women's lacrosse before the 2014–15 school year. The following are Big Ten teams' national championships won in other sports (number in parentheses indicates NCAA titles won by Big Ten schools during their years of membership):

Boxing (10)

[edit]

Penn State won 1 NCAA title in boxing before the NCAA discontinued the sport. (1 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
1939 Wisconsin†
1942 Wisconsin†
1943 Wisconsin†
1947 Wisconsin†
1948 Wisconsin
1951 Michigan State
1952 Wisconsin
1954 Wisconsin
1955 Michigan State
1956 Wisconsin

† Before 1948, NCAA team boxing championships were unofficial because team points were not officially awarded. However, national publications at the time proclaimed the annual team champions, and the NCAA Record Books still count them as titles won for that year.

Women's bowling (3)

[edit]

Prior to beginning athletic competition in the Big Ten, Nebraska won 5 WIBC/USBC titles, Penn State won 1 WIBC/USBC title, and Nebraska won 3 NCAA titles in bowling. (3 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
2013 Nebraska
2015 Nebraska
2021 Nebraska

Co-ed fencing (14)

[edit]

Prior to beginning athletic competition in the Big Ten, Penn State won 2 NCAA titles in co-ed fencing. (2 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
1995 Penn State
1996 Penn State
1997 Penn State
1998 Penn State
1999 Penn State
2000 Penn State
2002 Penn State
2004 Ohio State
2007 Penn State
2008 Ohio State
2009 Penn State
2010 Penn State
2012 Ohio State
2014 Penn State

Men's fencing (4)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Rutgers won 1 NCAA co-championship in men's fencing. (1 NCAA before Big Ten)

Year School
1941 Northwestern§
1942 Ohio State§
1956 Illinois
1958 Illinois

§ Prior to 1947, the Intercollegiate Fencing Association championship, held since 1894, was premiere. NYU won the 3-weapon title both of these years.

Women's fencing (0)

[edit]

Prior to joining the Big Ten, Penn State won 1 NCAA title in women's fencing. (1 NCAA before Big Ten)

Prior to the NCAA sponsored championship, Penn State won 2 AIAW national championships.

Women's ice hockey (15)

[edit]

Prior to the NCAA sponsored championship, Minnesota won 1 national title.

Year School
2000 Minnesota†
2004 Minnesota
2005 Minnesota
2006 Wisconsin
2007 Wisconsin
2009 Wisconsin
2011 Wisconsin
2012 Minnesota
2013 Minnesota
2015 Minnesota
2016 Minnesota
2019 Wisconsin
2021 Wisconsin
2022 Ohio State
2023 Wisconsin
2024 Ohio State

AWCHA National Champion (prior to NCAA sponsored championships)

Rifle (0)

[edit]

Big Ten teams have not won an NCAA rifle championship since inception in 1980.

Year School†
1911 Iowa
1918 Iowa
1929 Iowa
1933 Minnesota
1940 Iowa
1941 Minnesota
1946 Iowa

NRA National Champion (prior to NCAA sponsored championships). Prior to joining the Big Ten, Maryland won 5 NRA national championships (4 men, 1 women), and Michigan State won 3 (men).

Men's rowing (0)

[edit]

The NCAA has never offered a men's rowing championship.

Year School†
1951 Wisconsin
1959 Wisconsin
1966 Wisconsin
1973 Wisconsin
1974 Wisconsin
1975 Wisconsin
1990 Wisconsin
2008 Wisconsin

Intercollegiate Rowing Association Varsity Eights Champion

Synchronized swimming (0)

[edit]

The NCAA has never offered a synchronized swimming championship. However, the AIAW (women's predecessor to the NCAA) did.

Year School†
1977 Ohio State
1978 Ohio State
1979 Ohio State
1980 Ohio State and 1 other
1982 Ohio State

AIAW national champion

From 1983 through 2004, Ohio State won 19 of the 22 national championships sponsored by United States Synchronized Swimming. Ohio State also won championships from 2009 through 2012, and in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023.

Men's volleyball (5)

[edit]
Year School
1994 Penn State
2008 Penn State
2011 Ohio State
2016 Ohio State
2017 Ohio State

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 2011 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis, IN: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2011. pp. 70–75. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  2. ^ "25 YEARS OF WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS – An Ingenious Inception: Penn State Joins the Big Ten Conference". 11 Sep 2006. Archived from the original on 11 March 2011. Retrieved 2014-09-27., "Integration of the women's programs for cross country, golf, gymnastics, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball began at the start of the 1991 fall season, and the Penn State squads' success did not miss a beat."
  3. ^ "Championships History (through July 1, 2015)" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 2015-12-22.
  4. ^ "Men's Gymnastics History". Archived from the original on 2010-01-02. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  5. ^ "University of Michigan Athletics National Championships". Archived from the original on 2014-01-01. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  6. ^ a b "Northwestern Wins National Tank Laurels, Michigan Second--Kojac's Great Work Gives Rutgers Third Place, The Hartford Courant, Mar 30, 1930., p. C1". The Hartford Courant. 1930-03-30. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  7. ^ a b "College Swim Title Is Won by Michigan, Chicago Daily Tribune, Mar 29, 1931, p. A1". Chicago Daily Tribune. 1931-03-29. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  8. ^ a b Daley, Arthur J. (1933-03-27). "Western Swimmers and Wrestlers Dominated N.C.A.A. Title Meets; Captured All Eight Mat Crowns and Took Five of Nine Tank Championships -- Wiget, Stanford, Only Double Winner in New Haven Pool -- Thompson, Navy, Ended Brilliant Season, New York Times, March 27, 1933". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  9. ^ "Navy took honors in several sports, but bowed to Army in four of their five clashes – boxers had a fine year". The New York Times. 1926-07-11. Retrieved 2010-05-03.