List of Big Ten Conference national championships explained

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, 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.

Teams

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoined conferenceNicknameVarsity teamsNCAA championshipsas a conference member only (updated March 25, 2024)[2] †
University of IllinoisUrbana–Champaign, Illinois18671896Fighting Illini2122 (4 in football)
Indiana UniversityBloomington, Indiana18201899
(Athletics 1900)		Hoosiers2424
University of IowaIowa City, Iowa18471899
(Athletics 1900)		Hawkeyes2428 (3 in football)
University of MarylandCollege Park, Maryland18562014Terrapins206
University of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan18171896
(Inactive 1907–1916)		Wolverines2750 (14 in football)
Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, Michigan18581950
(Athletics 1953)		Spartans2518 (2 in football)
University of MinnesotaMinneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota18511896Golden Gophers2526 (7 in football)
University of NebraskaLincoln, Nebraska18692011Cornhuskers214
Northwestern UniversityEvanston, Illinois18511896Wildcats199
Ohio State UniversityColumbus, Ohio18701912Buckeyes3642 (10 in football)
Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, Pennsylvania18551990
(Athletics 1991)		Nittany Lions and Lady Lions3034
Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, Indiana18691896Purdue Boilermakers184 (1 in football)
Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick–Piscataway, New Jersey17662014Scarlet Knights270
University of WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin18481896Badgers2333 (1 in football)
Associate MembersLocationFoundedJoined ConferenceNicknameCurrent Varsity TeamsNCAA Championshipsas a member†
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, Maryland18762014Blue Jays2 Big Ten
(22 others)		0
University of Notre DameNotre Dame, Indiana18422017Fighting Irish1 Big Ten
(22 others)		0
Former MemberLocationFoundedJoined ConferenceNicknameCurrent Varsity TeamsNCAA Championshipsas a member†
University of ChicagoChicago, Illinois18901896Maroons193 (2 in football)
† includes football national championships by Big Ten members starting in 1901, as listed in the official NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records book

Most recent NCAA championship

TeamAcademic YearSport
Illinois2011–12Men's Gymnastics
Indiana2012–13Men's Soccer
Iowa2020–21Wrestling
Maryland2021–22Men's Lacrosse
Michigan2023-24Football
Michigan State2014–15Women's Cross Country
Minnesota2015–16Women's Ice Hockey
Nebraska2020–21Women's Bowling
Northwestern2021–22Field Hockey
Ohio State2023–24Women's Ice Hockey
Penn State2023–24Wrestling
Purdue2009–10Women's Golf
Rutgers1948–49Men's Fencing (tie)
Wisconsin2022–23Women's Ice Hockey
* most recent NCAA championship won by a member of the conference

Fall NCAA sports

Men's cross country (12)

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)

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

† Co-champion with Penn State

Women's cross country (3)

YearSchool
1984Wisconsin
1985Wisconsin
2014Michigan State

Field hockey (3)

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)

YearSchool
1986Iowa
2001Michigan
2021Northwestern

Football (44)

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[3] 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). The NCAA was formed in 1906 to address violent injuries in the sport.

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

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

Men's soccer (12)

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

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

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

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

Women's volleyball (10)

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

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

Winter NCAA sports

Men's basketball (10)

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.

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

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)

Men's gymnastics (25)

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)

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

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]

YearSchool
1969Michigan
1970Michigan

Women's gymnastics (1)

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

Men's ice hockey (23)

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

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

Men's swimming and diving (29)

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

† 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.[9]

Women's indoor track & field (0)

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)

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

YearSchool
1932Indiana†
1967Michigan State
1975Iowa
1976Iowa
1978Iowa
1979Iowa
1980Iowa
1981Iowa
1982Iowa
1983Iowa
1984Iowa
1985Iowa
1986Iowa
1991Iowa
1992Iowa
1993Iowa
1995Iowa
1996Iowa
1997Iowa
1998Iowa
1999Iowa
2000Iowa
2001Minnesota
2002Minnesota
2007Minnesota
2008Iowa
2009Iowa
2010Iowa
2011Penn State
2012Penn State
2013Penn State
2014Penn State
2015Ohio State
2016Penn State
2017Penn State
2018Penn State
2019Penn State
2021Iowa
2022Penn State
2023Penn State
2024Penn State
† In 1928 and from 1931 to 1933, an NCAA team championship was not awarded because team scoring was unofficial.

Spring NCAA sports

Baseball (6)

YearSchool
1953Michigan
1956Minnesota
1960Minnesota
1962Michigan
1964Minnesota
1966Ohio State

Men's golf (4)

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

YearSchool
1934Michigan°
1935Michigan°
1945Ohio State
1961Purdue
1979Ohio State
2002Minnesota
° NIGA national champion

Men's lacrosse (2)

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).

YearSchool
2017Maryland
2022Maryland

Women's lacrosse (10)

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.

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

Women's rowing (3)

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

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

† NWRA College Eights Champion

Softball (1)

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

YearSchool
1976Michigan State†
2005Michigan

† AIAW National Champion

Men's tennis (2)

YearSchool
1957Michigan
2003Illinois

Women's tennis (0)

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.

† AIAW National Champion

Men's outdoor track & field (9)

YearSchool
1921Illinois
1923Michigan
1927Illinois†
1929Ohio State
1932Indiana
1944Illinois
1946Illinois
1947Illinois
1948Minnesota
† 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

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)

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

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

† 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)

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)

YearSchool
2013Nebraska
2015Nebraska
2021Nebraska

Co-ed fencing (14)

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

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

Men's fencing (4)

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

YearSchool
1941Northwestern§
1942Ohio State§
1956Illinois
1958Illinois

§ 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)

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)

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

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

† AWCHA National Champion (prior to NCAA sponsored championships)

Rifle (0)

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

YearSchool†
1911Iowa
1918Iowa
1929Iowa
1933Minnesota
1940Iowa
1941Minnesota
1946Iowa

† 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)

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

YearSchool†
1951Wisconsin
1959Wisconsin
1966Wisconsin
1973Wisconsin
1974Wisconsin
1975Wisconsin
1990Wisconsin
2008Wisconsin

† Intercollegiate Rowing Association Varsity Eights Champion

Synchronized swimming (0)

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

YearSchool†
1977Ohio State
1978Ohio State
1979Ohio State
1980Ohio State and 1 other
1982Ohio 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)

YearSchool
1994Penn State
2008Penn State
2011Ohio State
2016Ohio State
2017Ohio State

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 25 YEARS OF WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS – An Ingenious Inception: Penn State Joins the Big Ten Conference. 11 Sep 2006. 2014-09-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20110311004727/http://www.bigten.org/sports/wchamp25/spec-rel/091106aaa.html. 11 March 2011. dead., "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."
  2. Web site: Championships History (through July 1, 2015). National Collegiate Athletic Association . 2015-12-22.
  3. Book: 2011 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records . 70–75 . The National Collegiate Athletic Association . August 2011 . Indianapolis, IN . 2011-10-17.
  4. Web site: Men's Gymnastics History. 2010-05-28. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100102220207/http://www.ncaa.com/history/m-gymnastics.html. 2010-01-02.
  5. Web site: University of Michigan Athletics National Championships. 2010-05-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20140101031228/http://www.mgoblue.com/trads/national-champions.html. 2014-01-01. dead.
  6. News: Northwestern Wins National Tank Laurels, Michigan Second--Kojac's Great Work Gives Rutgers Third Place, The Hartford Courant, Mar 30, 1930., p. C1 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121026135022/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/813458502.html?dids=813458502:813458502&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+30,+1930&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=Northwestern+Wins+National+Tank+Laurels&pqatl=google. dead. October 26, 2012. 2010-05-03 . The Hartford Courant . 1930-03-30.
  7. News: College Swim Title Is Won by Michigan, Chicago Daily Tribune, Mar 29, 1931, p. A1 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121026135004/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/457643722.html?dids=457643722:457643722&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+29,+1931&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=College+Swim+Title+Is+Won+by+Michigan&pqatl=google. dead. October 26, 2012. 2010-05-03 . Chicago Daily Tribune . 1931-03-29.
  8. News: 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. 2010-05-04 . The New York Times . Arthur J. . Daley . 1933-03-27.
  9. News: Navy took honors in several sports, but bowed to Army in four of their five clashes – boxers had a fine year . 2010-05-03 . The New York Times . 1926-07-11.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of Big Ten Conference national championships".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.