Milwaukee Earns Sixth McCafferty Trophy as Horizon League All-Sports Champion

INDIANAPOLIS -- Capturing seven Horizon League postseason championships, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has won the James J. McCafferty Trophy as the Horizon League’s all-sports champion for the first time since 2008-09 and the sixth time overall.

The seven titles allowed Milwaukee to cruise to the 2011-12 title by a 5.5-point margin over runner-up Cleveland State. The Panthers started the year with regular season and postseason titles in both women’s soccer and volleyball, opening an early lead and carrying Milwaukee to the women’s sports title.

In the winter, the Panthers dominated on the track and in the pool, sweeping both the swimming and diving and indoor track and field championships.

Milwaukee grabbed its seventh title at the outdoor track and field championships, finishing with 45.5 points.

Cleveland State took second place, its best finish since winning the McCafferty Trophy in 2007-08. The Vikings were runners-up for five different League titles.

On the strength of men’s and women’s cross country and women’s golf titles, Butler finished third. Winners of men’s soccer and men’s golf titles, Loyola took fourth, its best showing since 2005-06, when the Ramblers finished in the same spot.

Valparaiso claimed the maximum seven points in men’s soccer, men’s basketball and baseball to grab the men’s sports title. With its first two Horizon League titles the Crusaders finished directly behind Loyola in fifth. Previously, Valparaiso had not finished better than ninth in four years.

One point separated Wright State, Green Bay and UIC, in sixth, seventh and eighth place, respectively. The Raiders posted 25 points, with the Phoenix - winners of women’s basketball and men’s tennis - a half-point behind. The Flames captured their 16th straight women’s tennis crown en route to 24 points.

Men’s basketball champions Detroit and women’s outdoor track and field winners Youngstown State closed the overall standings with 23 and 22.5 points, respectively.

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 their 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
        School                             Points (Titles)
1.     Milwaukee                                  45.5 (7)
2.     Cleveland State                            39 (0)
3.     Butler                                           37.5 (3)
4.     Loyola                                             33 (2)
5.     Valparaiso                                      32 (2)
6.     Wright State                                   25 (0)
7.     Green Bay                                   24.5 (2)
8.     UIC                                                  24 (1)
9.     Detroit                                             23 (1)
10.  Youngstown State                     22.5 (1)

Men’s Sports Totals
        School                             Points (Titles)
1.     Valparaiso                                      21 (1)
2.     Milwaukee                                      19 (3)
        Cleveland State                            19 (0)
4.     Loyola                                             18 (2)
5.     Wright State                                16.5 (0)
6.     Green Bay                                      14 (1)
7.     Butler                                           13.5 (1)
8.     UIC                                                  10 (0)
9.     Detroit                                            6.5 (1)
        Youngstown State                        6.5 (0)

Women’s Sports Totals
        School                             Points (Titles)
1.     Milwaukee                                  26.5 (4)
2.     Butler                                               24 (2)
3.     Cleveland State                            20 (0)
4.     Detroit                                          16.5 (0)
5.     Youngstown State                         16 (1)
6.     UIC                                                  14 (1)
7.     Loyola                                             15 (0)
8.     Valparaiso                                      11 (1)
9.     Green Bay                                   10.5 (1)
10.   Wright State                                  8.5 (0)