Valley All-Sports Trophy returns to Illinois State

[May 21, 2008]  NORMAL -- For the first time since 2000-01, the Illinois State Athletics Department has captured the Missouri Valley Conference All-Sports Trophy. The Redbirds claimed three Valley championships in 2007-08 and finished fifth or better in 16 of their 17 sports. Illinois State earned regular-season league titles in women's soccer, women's golf and women's basketball.

"This is a testament to the all hard work by the entire athletics department, the campus leadership and the support from the Redbird community," said Dr. Sheahon Zenger, ISU's director of athletics. "I'm really proud of our student-athletes and our coaches. Collectively, we have made positive strides in several areas, and the Valley All-Sports Trophy is more evidence of this effort."

The Valley All-Sports Trophy is based on a school's average finish in each of the championships sponsored by the Missouri Valley Conference. Teams are awarded one point for finishing in first place, 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's all-sports championship snapped a string of four straight titles by Wichita State (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07). It is the 11th all-sports trophy in school history for Illinois State, the most by any Valley member since 1982, when the Redbirds joined the conference. The Redbirds have finished in the top five of the league's all-sports race for 26 straight years. ISU has finished first, second or third in the all-sports trophy standings in 16 of the past 18 seasons.

Southern Illinois, meanwhile, finished second, followed by Wichita State, Northern Iowa and Drake.

[Text from file received from Todd Kober, assistant athletics director, media relations, Illinois State University]