McLean County Times

Illinois State University has secured the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) All-Sports Championship for the 2024-25 season, marking its fifth win in the last six years. The announcement was made by the conference office on Thursday. Illinois State previously claimed the title in 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23. The MVC did not award the trophy during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season.

"We start every year with the goal of winning the MVC All-Sports Championship, and after coming up short last year I am proud that we have earned a spot at the top of the standings once again in 2024-25," said Dr. Jeri Beggs, Illinois State Director of Athletics. "To win the MVC All-Sports trophy the fifth time in six years is a tremendous accomplishment by our student-athletes, coaches, and entire Athletics staff. We hope all of our alumni, supporters and fans are just as proud of this honor as we are."

The Redbirds achieved an aggregate score of 8.956 to clinch this year's all-sports crown and secured MVC regular-season team titles in men's golf and women's golf. This marks the first time since 2019 that both men's and women's teams from one school have won these titles simultaneously, a feat Illinois State last accomplished in 2005. Additionally, they recorded Top-5 finishes in eleven other MVC-sponsored sports.

Before Drake's victory in 2024, Illinois State, Missouri State or Wichita State had consistently claimed the league's all-sports championship since 1995. Notably, Illinois State won five out of six championships from 1996 to 2001.

This past season saw eleven different institutions claiming at least one regular-season or post-season league title. UIC's women's tennis team won its first tournament crown as an MVC member. Missouri State and Murray State tied for league best with five total titles each.

The MVC introduced an all-sports trophy following the 1949-50 athletics season when Oklahoma State (then Oklahoma A&M) earned it first. The All-Sports Trophy is awarded based on a school's average finish across sponsored championships by dividing total accumulated points by sports participation.