UIC is the 2020-21 Horizon League women's all-sport champion. Overall, the department claimed fourth place in the 2020-21 Horizon League McCafferty Trophy standings.
UIC Athletics captured its first women's all-sport crown since separate standings for men and women began in 2006-07. The Flames were paced by conference championships in women's tennis and softball, and program-best second place finishes in women's swimming and diving and volleyball.
UIC's overall fourth place finish in this year's McCafferty Trophy standings was the program's highest since the Flames took third place in 2016-17. Only four points separated the top four schools in this year's all-sport competition. The Flames have risen from seventh to fifth to fourth in the standings over the past three years.
"Congratulations to our entire Flames Family on their outstanding competitive achievements," said athletic director
Michael Lipitz. "Our student-athletes, coaches and support staff exhibited tremendous determination and resilience throughout this most unique and challenging year. We're incredibly proud of them and all they've achieved."
Postseason performances by the women's soccer team, which qualified for the Horizon League tournament for the second straight year, and the golf team, which set a program record for best score at the conference championship, also contributed to UIC's score.
Baseball led all men's teams in points by finishing second in the regular season and third in the postseason tournament. Swimming and diving had a strong third-place showing at conference, and soccer also had top-three efforts in regular season and tournament play.
About the McCafferty Trophy
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.
Points are awarded for top-five finishes in each sport, with the regular season contributing 60% and the postseason tournament worth 40% of the total. Each school counts its top six women's sports and top five men's sports to determine the all-sport standings, with weight given to priority sports (basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball, and softball). Men's and women's points are added together to determine the McCafferty Trophy winner.
2020-21 McCafferty Trophy Standings
T1. Oakland – 43
T1. Youngstown State – 43
3. Milwaukee – 42
4. UIC – 39
5. Wright State – 30
6. Northern Kentucky – 29
7. Cleveland State – 28
8. IUPUI – 27
9. Green Bay – 7
10. Purdue Fort Wayne – 5.5
11. RMU – 3.5
12. Detroit Mercy – 0
Women's All-Sports Totals
T1. UIC – 26
T1. Milwaukee – 26
T1. Youngstown State – 26
4. Oakland – 18
5. IUPUI – 16
T6. Northern Kentucky – 14
T6. Wright State – 14
T8. Cleveland State – 6
T8. Green Bay – 6
T10. Purdue Fort Wayne – 2.5
T10. RMU – 2.5
12. Detroit Mercy – 0
