In a year of unprecedented challenges, Youngstown State's student-athletes responded with unprecedented success. For the first time in the school's 20 years in the Horizon League, YSU has won the McCafferty Trophy for its performance across the conference's 19 championship sports.
Youngstown State won six conference titles during the 2020-21 academic year to earn 43 points and share the trophy with Oakland. The Penguins also tied with Milwaukee and UIC for the most points in women's sports with 26.
"We are so proud of our student-athletes and coaches for this great accomplishment! With all the immense challenges this past year, both on and off the field, to remain focused and compete at such a high level across so many sports is something Penguin Nation should be proud of," said Ron Strollo, YSU's Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.
"This award is also recognition for our athletic department support staff, including our athletic trainers, strength coaches, academic advisors, communications staff and equipment room, for their great work and commitment to our students. When you couple this achievement with the NCAA Final Four appearance of our bowling program, the successful first year of competition in the sport of lacrosse, and the cumulative 3.48 GPA for all our student-athletes this past semester, this was truly a year to remember in so many ways."
YSU was second in the standings heading into the spring championship season but was bolstered by a memorable two months that generated 22 points. In the spring, the Penguins celebrated two Horizon League championships in outdoor track and field, a championship in women's golf and a regular-season title in softball. Additionally, YSU's women's tennis team finished second, the men's tennis team tied for second, and the baseball team finished third.
In women's sports, YSU received seven points each from the softball, track and field and golf teams and five from the women's tennis squad. On the men's side, YSU earned seven points in track and field, five in cross country, three in tennis and two in baseball.
Youngstown State had finished second twice previously in the McCafferty Trophy standings, in 2013-14 and 2016-17. The Penguins also won the women's all-sports award in 2016-17.
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.
