Dec. 16, 2015

ROCHESTER, Mich. - After claiming four of five league championships in the fall season, Oakland University Athletics currently leads the Horizon League McCafferty Trophy men's, women's and overall standings heading into the winter championships, as announced by the league office on Wednesday.

"Our coaches, staff and student-athletes put together one of the most successful falls in Horizon League history," Senior Associate AD Padraic McMeel said.

"We have focused our efforts on our ethos and being a process-driven organization. The entire enterprise has done a great job and we look forward to seeing our winter and spring sports in league competition."

The Golden Grizzlies have recorded more than twice the amount of overall points (33) than the second place UIC Flames (13) after fall competition. Milwaukee sits in third (9) followed by Wright State (8.5), Cleveland State (8), Northern Kentucky (6.5) and Youngstown State (5). Rounding out the overall standings is Valparaiso (4), Detroit (2) and Green Bay (1).

Oakland tallied 28 points for winning titles in men's and women's cross country and tournament championships in men's and women's soccer. The volleyball team posted the remaining five points after finishing second in the regular-season standings.

The Black and Gold were awarded the all-sports trophy for the first time in 40 years of athletic competition last May after claiming five regular-season titles and championships along with recording top-three finishes in 13 sports to finish with 56 overall points.

The McCafferty Trophy is named in honor of James J. McCafferty, who served as the Horizon's League first commissioner from 1979-80. The all-sports trophy is awarded annually to the member institution that complies the most performance points based on its finishes in the league's 19 championship sports.

For both 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. Points are based on performance in league play for the remaining sports.

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

Women's All-Sports Standings
1. Oakland, 19
T2. Milwaukee, 7
T2. Cleveland State, 7
4. Wright State, 6
5. UIC, 5
T6. Valparaiso, 4
T6. Northern Kentucky, 4
T8. Detroit, 1
T8. Green Bay, 1
10. Youngstown State, 0

Men's All-Sports Standings
1. Oakland, 14
2. UIC, 8
3. Youngstown State, 5
T4. Northern Kentucky, 2.5
T4. Wright State, 2.5
6. Milwaukee, 2
T7. Detroit, 1
T7. Cleveland State, 1
T9. Green Bay, 0
T9. Valparaiso, 0

#WEARtheBEAR