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 men's 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., "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." 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. Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington joined the conference in 2025.
Teams InstitutionLocationFoundedJoined conferenceNicknameVarsity teamsNCAA championships as a conference member only (updated March 25, 2024)†University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, California19192025Bruins251University of IllinoisUrbana–Champaign, Illinois18671896Fighting Illini2122 (4 in football)Indiana UniversityBloomington, Indiana18201899(Athletics 1900)Hoosiers2424University of IowaIowa City, Iowa18471899(Athletics 1900)Hawkeyes2428 (3 in football)University of MarylandCollege Park, Maryland18562014Terrapins206University of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan18171896(Inactive 1907–1916)Wolverines2751 (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, Nebraska18692011Cornhuskers214Northwestern UniversityEvanston, Illinois18511896Wildcats1913Ohio State UniversityColumbus, Ohio18701912Buckeyes3642 (10 in football)University of OregonEugene, Oregon18722025Ducks181Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, Pennsylvania18551990(Athletics 1991)Nittany Lions and Lady Lions3036Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, Indiana18691896Purdue Boilermakers184 (1 in football)Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick–Piscataway, New Jersey17662014Scarlet Knights270University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, California18802025Trojans232University of WashingtonSeattle, Washington18612025Huskies221University of WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin18481896Badgers2335 (1 in football)Associate MembersLocationFoundedJoined ConferenceNicknameCurrent Varsity TeamsNCAA Championships as a member†Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, Maryland18762014Blue Jays2 Big Ten(22 others)0University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana18422017Fighting Irish1 Big Ten(22 others)0Former MemberLocationFoundedJoined ConferenceNicknameCurrent Varsity TeamsNCAA Championships as 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 YearSportIllinois2011–12Men's GymnasticsIndiana2025–26FootballIowa2020–21Men's WrestlingMaryland 2021–22 Men's LacrosseMichigan 2025–26 Men's BasketballMichigan State 2014–15 Women's Cross CountryMinnesota 2015–16 Women's Ice HockeyNebraska 2020–21 Women's BowlingNorthwestern 2025–26 Women's Lacrosse Ohio State2024–25FootballOregon2024–25Women's Indoor TrackPenn State2025–26Men's WrestlingPurdue2009–10Women's GolfRutgers1948–49Men's Fencing (tie)UCLA*2025–26Beach volleyball USC2025–26Women’s Water PoloWashington2025–26Men's SoccerWisconsin2025–26Women'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) 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)
Year School 1984 Wisconsin 1985 Wisconsin 2014 Michigan State
Field hockey (5)
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 Northwestern2024Northwestern 2025Northwestern
Football (46)
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 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)† 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 2024 Ohio State 2025 Indiana
† 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 (13)
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 Indiana2018Maryland2025Washington
† Co-champion with Saint Louis (game called because of weather)
‡ Co-champion with Maryland (game ended in tie)
Women's soccer (1)
Year School 2015 Penn State
Women's volleyball (11)
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 2024 Penn State
Winter NCAA sports
Men's basketball (11)
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 2026 Michigan
† 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 (2)
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 Purdue2026UCLA
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) 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 Michigan2025Michigan
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. Year School 1969 Michigan 1970 Michigan
Women's gymnastics (1)
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)
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)