Oakland Leads McCafferty Trophy Standings Heading Into Winter Championships

INDIANAPOLIS – Oakland University, on the strength of four fall championships, holds a commanding lead in the chase for the 2015-16 McCafferty Trophy, given to the all-sports champion of the Horizon League.

With 33 total points, the Golden Grizzlies have opened a 20-point lead on second-place UIC. Oakland also leads both the men’s and women’s standings with 14 and 19 points, respectively. Last season, the Golden Grizzlies won the McCafferty Trophy in just their second year in the Horizon League.

With four team championships Oakland nearly matched the efforts of Notre Dame in 1993 as the Irish won all five postseason titles.

Oakland won the first of its four Horizon League titles in late October, sweeping the men’s and women’s cross country championships. The UIC women’s team took second, while the Youngstown State men’s team followed the Golden Grizzlies.

The following week, Oakland topped Wright State in overtime to claim the women’s soccer championship. Milwaukee, the regular season champions, hosted the tournament but fell to the Raiders in the semifinals.

At the men’s soccer championship, Oakland again entered the tournament as the number-two seed, but came out on top as it defeated Wright State once again. Regular-season champion UIC fell in overtime to the Raiders during the semifinals.

Cleveland State claimed both the regular season and tournament title in volleyball to break Oakland’s championship streak. The Vikings swept Valparaiso in the championship match to take the title.

Boosted by its four fall championships, Oakland leads, followed by UIC which has 13 points. The third through fifth spots are separated by a lone point, as seven-time champion Milwaukee is third, with Wright State sandwiched between the Panthers and Cleveland State.

In its first year in the Horizon League, Northern Kentucky sits in sixth place, with Youngstown State behind by 1.5 points in seventh and Valparaiso in eighth. Detroit and Green Bay round out the field the in ninth and tenth spots, 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 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. Oakland 33
2. UIC 13
3. Milwaukee 9
4. Wright State 8.5
5. Cleveland State 8
6. Northern Kentucky 6.5
7. Youngstown State 5
8. Valparaiso 4
9. Detroit 2
10. Green Bay 1

Men’s Sports Totals
1. Oakland 14
2. UIC 8
3. Youngstown State 5
4. Wright State 2.5
     Northern Kentucky 2.5
6. Milwaukee 2
7. Cleveland State 1
    Detroit 1
9. Green Bay 0
     Valparaiso 0

Women’s Sports Totals
1. Oakland 19
2. Cleveland State 7
    Milwaukee 7
4. Wright State 6
5. UIC 5
6. Northern Kentucky 4
    Valparaiso 4
7. Detroit 1
    Green Bay 1
9. Youngstown State 0