​La Cueva, Albuquerque Academy, and Cottonwood Classical Prep were among the winners of the 2025-26 Directors Cup, which honors the top schools across athletics, activities, and sportsmanship. The Directors Cup criteria consider both participation and success across 22 sports and 13 activities under the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) umbrella, with overall points determining the standings.
In Class 5A, La Cueva led the standings with 3,180 points, besting Cleveland with 2,990 points and Volcano Vista with 2,470. The Bears claimed state championships in boys soccer, cheerleading, boys tennis, and boys golf, contributing significantly to their top-of-class finish.
In Class 4A, Albuquerque Academy continued its strong showing by accumulating 3,440 points in the Directors Cup standings. Artesia and Los Alamos tied for second place with 2,860 points apiece. The Chargers earned blue trophies in boys cross country, boys and girls swimming/diving, boys and girls tennis, girls golf, and boys and girls track and field. Academy also earned runner-up state finishes in several other sports, underscoring a notably successful year across multiple disciplines.
Cottonwood Classical Prep, competing in Class 3A, finished first with 1,950 points. The Coyotes were followed by St. Michael’s with 1,820 points and Navajo Prep with 1,710. Cottonwood Classical Prep’s teams won state swimming/diving championships in both genders, highlighting their depth across aquatic events.
In Class 2A, Rehoboth Christian claimed the Directors Cup with 1,590 points, while in Class 1A, Logan took first place with 1,790 points.
Voting highlights from the NMAA handbook included some notable policy changes. The Section 6 eligibility portion of the handbook received extensive attention on the ballot last month, but it was not the sole issue up for a vote. In a wide-majority decision of 78-3, schools approved updating the state’s overtime rule for soccer. Overtime will be removed from the regular season entirely, except during tournaments where a bracket advancement requires a winner. Player safety considerations were a factor, particularly for teams that might play two or three games within a single week. According to the ballot, 41 states do not use overtime in the regular season, which informed the decision.
Additionally, a broad vote of 78-2 supported eliminating the card count misconduct progression for both players and coaches. Although ejections will still occur for red cards or a second yellow card, the responsible individual must miss the next scheduled game.
For more coverage of prep sports, contact James Yodice at jyodice@abqjournal.com or follow him on X at @JamesDYodice.