Indianapolis, IN (July 11, 2025) – ҹ�����о��� (ҹ�����о���) claimed the 2024-25 Horizon League McCafferty Trophy after taking the top spot in the all-sports standings, the league office announced today. This marks the third time the department has claimed the league’s top honor after winning the title in 2007-08 and most recently in the 2012-13 season. Cleveland State posted a first-place finish in the overall standings after a successful 2024-25 athletic season which included collecting two regular season championships, one division championship and one tournament championship across the department’s Horizon League sponsored programs.  

The trophy, named in honor of the Horizon League’s first commissioner, tracks regular season and post-season competition across all of the league’s sponsored sports among the full-time members of the conference. Cleveland State took the top spot in the overall standings for the year coming in with 43.5 points, narrowly edging out in-state foe Youngstown State who finished second. 

“I’m incredibly proud of all of our sport programs and student-athletes for their competitive success this season,” said ҹ�����о��� Director of Athletics Kelsie Gory Harkey. “Winning this award from the Horizon League would not be possible without the hard work and dedication to a transformational student-athlete experience that our coaches and staff display on a daily basis. I look forward to continued success next year and beyond.”

Cleveland State finished first in the women’s standings with 23 total points, just ahead of Milwaukee. Among the highlights were a tournament championship for volleyball, regular season titles in softball and women’s tennis, and women’s basketball placing third in the regular season standings. 

The Cleveland State men’s teams finished second in the men’s standings with 20.5 total points. Standout performances on the men’s side included men’s tennis capturing a North Division regular season championship, runner-up finishes for men’s basketball (regular season) and men’s golf (league championship), as well as a third-place finish from swimming and diving at the league championship meet. 

Final 2024-25 McCafferty Trophy Standings

1. Cleveland State – 43.5
2. Youngstown State – 41
3. Oakland – 39.5
4. Milwaukee – 34.5
5. RMU – 33
6. Purdue Fort Wayne – 22
7. Wright State – 21
8. Northern Kentucky – 18\
9. IU Indianapolis - 17
10. Green Bay – 16.5
11. Detroit Mercy – 3 

Men’s All-Sports Totals

1. Youngstown State – 24
2. Cleveland State – 20.5
3. Oakland – 20.5
4. Milwaukee – 14.5
5. RMU – 14
6. Wright State – 14
7. IU Indianapolis – 13
8. Northern Kentucky – 8.5
9. Green Bay – 4.5
10. Purdue Fort Wayne – 3
11. Detroit Mercy – 0.5 

Women’s All-Sports Totals

1. Cleveland State – 23
2. Milwaukee – 20
3. Oakland – 19
4. Purdue Fort Wayne – 19
5. RMU - 19
6. Youngstown State – 17
7. Green Bay – 12
8. Northern Kentucky – 9.5
9. Wright State – 7
10. IU Indianapolis – 4
11. Detroit Mercy – 2.5