May 20, 2008

ST. LOUIS - The University of Northern Iowa has earned a fourth-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference All-Sports Trophy for 2007-08.

MVC championships in women's indoor track and field, women's outdoor track and field, men's indoor track and field and men's outdoor track and field helped the Panthers achieve an All-Sports score of 4.09 and earn a top-four finish for the second-consecutive season.

UNI finished third in the All-Sports standings in 2006-07.

The Panthers' 2008 score also was buoyed by a runner-up finish in volleyball and finishes of sixth or better in 15 of the 16 Valley sports UNI sponsors.

Illinois State captured the All-Sports Trophy for the first time since 2000-01 with an average finish of 3.47. Southern Illinois was second with a score of 3.66, while Wichita State was third with an average finish of 3.93.

The All-Sports Trophy is based on a school's average finish in each of the sponsored championships by The Valley. Teams are awarded one point for first, two for second, three for third, etc., and the total accumulated points are divided by the number of sports in which a particular school competes. Finishes in baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball are based on regular-season competition. All other sports are determined by finish at the championship tournament or championship meet.

Illinois State claimed three Valley championships in 2007-08 and finished fifth or better in 16 of their 17 sports. Illinois State earned titles in women's soccer, women's golf, and women's basketball.

The Redbirds' all-sports championship snapped a string of four-straight titles by Wichita State (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07). It marked the 11th all-sports trophy for Illinois State, which trails Wichita State (16) for the most. Either Illinois State, Missouri State or Wichita State, meanwhile, has earned the league's all-sports championship trophy every year since 1995, as the Redbirds won five of six all-sports championships from 1996-2001.

Southern Illinois, meanwhile, finished second in the all-sports race for the third time in four years, and earned 13 top-five finishes (of its 16 sports), including a title in men's cross country, and runner-up finishes in women's swimming & diving, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's golf, and women's outdoor track & field.

Wichita State won four team titles to finish third in the all-sports standings. The Shockers took championships in women's cross country, volleyball, men's golf and baseball.

Drake joined Illinois State, Southern Illinois, Wichita State, and UNI in the upper division, as the Bulldogs took fifth in this year's all-sports race. Drake, buoyed by league titles in men's basketball, women's basketball, and men's tennis, enjoyed its highest finish in the all-sports trophy race since the 1999-00 season, when it also finished fifth.

Notably, all 10 of the league's schools won at least one team title in 2007-08. And for just the second time since 1994 (when the league began its current scoring system), seven schools finished with an aggregate score of 5.00 or better.

2007-08 TOP-FIVE FINISHERS
Pts.      Team (Championships)
3.47      Illinois State (3)
3.66      Southern Illinois (1)
3.93      Wichita State (4)
4.09      UNI (4)
4.75      Drake (3)