Milwaukee Earns Seventh McCafferty Trophy

INDIANAPOLIS -- For the second time in three years, and seventh-time overall, Milwaukee has earned the McCafferty Trophy as the overall sports champion in the Horizon League. Bolstered by its women’s sports title, the Panthers collected 43 points to best runner-up Youngstown State.

The Panthers jumped out to an early lead for the McCafferty Trophy after a dominant fall saw UWM win three League championships. Milwaukee won both the regular season and postseason titles in women’s soccer and volleyball, while the men’s soccer team won the postseason championship.

In the winter, the men’s indoor track and field program collected a title, while the men’s basketball program entered the Horizon League tournament as a sixth-seed, but was the last team standing to add to the Panthers’ hardware collection.

With seven McCafferty titles, Milwaukee is tied for the second-most in League history with former members Notre Dame and Oral Roberts.

Youngstown State finished a school-best second in the McCafferty standings with 39.5 points. The Penguins won a League-high six postseason tournaments, including four in the spring when YSU won women’s tennis, men’s outdoor track and field, women’s outdoor track and field and baseball.

Third through sixth place were separated by a mere 1.5 points as Green Bay took third overall with 34.5 points. The third place finish is the Phoenix best finish since the 2003-04 season. Defending McCafferty champion Cleveland State was fourth with 34 points, while Oakland (33.5) was fifth and Wright State (33) finished sixth.

Detroit was seventh, while UIC and Valparaiso rounded out the field.

For the second straight season, Cleveland State captured the men’s sport title. The Vikings won the golf title in April and had runner-up finishes in basketball (regular season), swimming and diving and tennis to pace the men’s race with 23 points.

Named in honor of James J. McCafferty, who served as the conference’s first commissioner from 1979-80, the McCafferty Trophy is awarded annually by the Horizon League to a member institution compiling the greatest number of performance points, based on its finish in the League’s 19 championship sports.

For the sports of men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, softball and baseball, points are awarded based on combined regular season (60 percent) and championship (40 percent) finishes.  For all other sports, points are based on performance in the League championships.

McCafferty Trophy Standings
1. Milwaukee 43
2. Youngstown State 39.5
3. Green Bay 34.5
4. Cleveland State 34
5. Oakland 33.5
6. Wright State 33
7. Detroit 31
8. UIC 28.5
9. Valparaiso 20

Men’s Sports Totals
1. Cleveland State 23
t-2. UIC 18
t-2. Wright State 18
4. Milwaukee 17
5. Youngstown State 16
t-6. Detroit 15
t-6. Green Bay 15
8. Oakland 13
9. Valparaiso 7

Women’s Sports Totals
1. Milwaukee 26
2. Youngstown State 23.5
3. Oakland 20.5
4. Green Bay 19.5
5. Detroit 16
6. Wright State 15
7. Valparaiso 13
8. Cleveland State 11
9. UIC 10.5