McLean High School won the 2025-26 VHSL National Guard Cup for Class 6 Academic Activities, earning 325 points across the school year's state championship competitions and ending a 26-year title drought.

The Highlanders last claimed the award in 1999-2000. The gap covers more than half the Cup's 37-year history.

The McLean Athletics Instagram account announced the win on July 3, and the school's website published a formal announcement on Monday. The VHSL confirmed final standings on its official Instagram account with a link to full results at vhsl.org.

The Cup tallies points from finishes at VHSL state championships in 14 activities: Magazine, Newsmagazine, Newspaper, Online News, Yearbook, Broadcast, Robotics, Esports, Theatre, Scholastic Bowl, Speech, Debate, Creative Writing and Film. A first-place team finish earns 50 points. Publications can earn up to 35 points for Trophy Class honors.

This was the first year esports counted as a fully sanctioned activity toward Cup standings. The VHSL Executive Committee voted in May of last year to elevate esports from emerging status, and state championships in Rocket League and Mario Kart took place in the spring. That added a new scoring lane in the same season McLean broke through.

Six Cups are awarded each year, one for academic activities and one for athletics in each of the VHSL's six enrollment classifications. The award was first presented in 1990.