UW-Milwaukee captures James J. McCafferty Trophy

May 31, 2006

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INDIANAPOLIS -- For the third consecutive year, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has received the James J. McCafferty Trophy, recognizing the school as the All-Sports Champion of the Horizon League. The award, presented Wednesday night (May 31) at the League's Executive Council meeting in Chicago, is given annually and honors McCafferty, who served as the League's first commissioner from 1979-80.

UWM's Panthers won seven championships during the 2005-06 academic year, capturing League tournament titles in men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, plus women's outdoor track and field. The Panthers also claimed the regular-season crown in volleyball and finished second in baseball during the regular season to accumulate a total of 53 performance points and finish atop the McCafferty standings for the fourth time in the last six years.

Butler University and the University of Illinois at Chicago shared second place with 40 points apiece. Butler's total featured four championships (men's and women's cross country, men's tennis, and women's golf), while UIC claimed the women's tennis title for the tenth consecutive year. Loyola University Chicago was fourth with 29 points, while Youngstown State University (27 points) edged out Cleveland State University (26) and Wright State University (25.5) for fifth place. The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (22.5) and the University of Detroit Mercy (19.0) rounded out the field.

UW-Milwaukee's four men's championships paced a sweep of the three major team awards, as UWM collected the Men's All-Sports Award with 25 points. Butler was a close second with 22.5 points, 3.5 ahead of third-place UIC. On the women's side, UW-Milwaukee registered 28 points---seven more than UIC---to earn the Women's All-Sports Award.

Eight of the League's nine member schools won at least one team championship in 2005-06, with Cleveland State finishing atop the standings in men's swimming and diving and men's golf. The swimming title represented the school's first League crown in any sport since 1999. Youngstown State took home championship trophies in women's outdoor track and field plus softball, while Loyola (volleyball), Wright State (baseball) and UW-Green Bay (women's swimming and diving) joined UIC as single-sport titlists.

Among the Horizon League's current members, only Butler (five) has won the McCafferty Trophy more often than UW-Milwaukee. BU was the League's All-Sports Champion from 1996-99 and again from 2001-03.

A symbol of a successful broad-based athletic program, the McCafferty Trophy is awarded annually by the Horizon League to the member institution compiling the greatest number of performance points. Schools earn performance points based on their finish in all 19 championship sports the Horizon League sponsors. For the sports of men's and women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball, points are awarded based on combined regular-season and championship finishes. In the sports of men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's golf, and men's and women's tennis, points are based on performance in the League Championship.

2005-06 McCafferty Trophy Standings

School (Championships), Points
UW-Milwaukee (7) 53.0
Butler (4) 40.0
UIC (1) 40.0
Loyola (1) 29.5
Youngstown State (2) 27.0
Cleveland State (2) 26.0
Wright State (1) 25.5
UW-Green Bay (1) 22.5
Detroit(0) 19.0

2005-06 Horizon League Champions
Men's Soccer: UW-Milwaukee
Women's Soccer: UW-Milwaukee
Volleyball: Loyola
Men's Cross Country: Butler
Women's Cross Country: Butler
Men's Basketball: UW-Milwaukee
Women's Basketball: UW-Milwaukee
Men's Swimming and Diving: Cleveland State
Women's Swimming and Diving: UW-Green Bay
Men's Indoor Track and Field: UW-Milwaukee
Women's Indoor Track and Field: UW-Milwaukee
Baseball: Wright State
Softball: Youngstown State
Men's Tennis: Butler
Women's Tennis: UIC
Men's Golf: Cleveland State
Women's Golf: Butler
Men's Outdoor Track and Field: UW-Milwaukee
Women's Outdoor Track and Field: Youngstown State

* -- post-season tournament champions

Year-by-Year McCafferty Trophy Champions

Year -- School
1979-80 Oral Roberts
1980-81Oral Roberts
1981-82Oral Roberts
1982-83Oral Roberts
1983-84Oral Roberts
1984-85Oral Roberts
1985-86Oral Roberts
1986-87Evansville
1987-88Evansville
1988-89Notre Dame
1989-90Notre Dame
1990-91Notre Dame
1991-92Notre Dame
1992-93Notre Dame
1993-94Notre Dame
1994-95Notre Dame
1995-96Northern Illinois
1996-97Butler
1997-98Butler
1998-99Butler
99-2000UIC
2000-01UW-Milwaukee
2001-02Butler
2002-03Butler
2003-04UW-Milwaukee
2004-05UW-Milwaukee
2005-06UW-Milwaukee

All-Time McCafferty Trophy Championships by School:
Notre Dame 7, Oral Roberts 7, Butler 5, UW-Milwaukee 4, Evansville 2, UIC 1, Northern Illinois 1