Cleveland State Earns Second McCafferty Trophy

INDIANAPOLIS -- For the first time since the 2007-08 season, Cleveland State has earned the McCafferty Trophy as the overall sports champion in the Horizon League. Bolstered by its men’s sports title, the Vikings collected 45 points to best runner-up Loyola.

Cleveland State moved into the McCafferty Trophy lead in late April, notching a championship in men’s tennis and a runner-up finish at the men’s golf championship. On the year, the Vikings notched four Horizon League championships -- men’s soccer, men’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis and volleyball.

On the strength of the men’s championships, the Vikings earned the men’s sports title, beating Milwaukee by four points.

Loyola captured its first women’s sports title, narrowly holding off UIC and Youngstown State. The Ramblers’ runner-up finish was the best in program history.

Defending McCafferty champion Milwaukee took third overall with 39.5 points, while UIC (36.5) held off Detroit (36) and Valparaiso (35), respectively. The Crusaders captured three championships in the spring, winning the men’s golf title ahead of baseball and softball crowns.

Youngstown State was seventh, while Green Bay and Wright State rounded out the field.

During the spring season, UIC won its 17th consecutive Horizon League women’s tennis title, while Detroit added a women’s golf championship to its trophy case. Milwaukee snared the men’s outdoor track and field championship, while Loyola earned the honors on the women’s side.

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