University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Panthers finish second in 2024-25 MVC All-Sports Trophy race
5/29/2025 12:00:00 PM | General
UNI captured three conference championships this past year, tying its highest All-Sports Trophy finish in school history.
ST. LOUIS --- UNI claimed second place in the race for the Missouri Valley Conference's (MVC) All-Sport Trophy during the 2024-25 school year, as announced by the league office on Thursday, improving from an eighth place showing a year ago.
The runner-up finish ties Northern Iowa's best result in the MVC All-Sport Trophy race after also finishing second in 2001, 2017 and 2019, along with a pair of third place performances in 2003 and 2007. UNI's six-place improvement from 2024 is the largest single-year jump in school history. Additionally, UNI's average score of 8.721 is its highest since the conference transitioned to a points average system to award the trophy in 1993-94.
The All-Sports Trophy, which was first awarded following the 1949-50 athletic season, is based on a school's average finish in each of the sponsored championships by the MVC. Teams are awarded 12 points for first, 11 for second, 10 for third, etc., and the total accumulated points are divided by the number of sports in which a particular school competes. For sports not sponsored by every MVC school, the points decrease by number of competing schools (i.e., in a sport where 10 teams compete, 12/10 = 1.20, so point totals decrease by 1.20; 1st = 12, 2nd = 10.8, 3rd = 9.6, etc.)
Finishes in baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball are based on regular-season competition. However, institutions receive three bonus points for each league post-season championship earned in those aforementioned sports. All other sports are determined by finish at the championship tournament or championship meet.
During the 2024-25 season, the Panthers swept the MVC's regular season and tournament championships for a third consecutive year in volleyball, while the men's track and field team placed first at the MVC Indoor Championships back in March. Northern Iowa also finished in the top-three in five other sports, including men's basketball, men's outdoor track and field, softball, and both women's indoor and outdoor track and field.Â
"What a year it was for our MVC sport programs," said Director of Athletics Megan Franklin. "In this successful year, many individual, team and attendance records were broken with yet another school record set in total points scored in the MVC All-Sport Trophy race. It was awesome to cheer on our Panthers at this year's championship events where our teams stood on the podium donning UNI with pride across their chest. The momentum heading into the 2025-26 school year is one I highly encourage Panther fans to be a part of by purchasing season tickets and joining the Panther Scholarship Club."
Illinois State finished in first place ahead of the UNI by a 0.235 point average, with Drake following the Panthers in third. Missouri State took fourth place in its final season as a league member, while Belmont placed fifth.
Â
2024-25 MVC ALL-SPORTS TROPHY STANDINGS
- Illinois State - 8.956
- UNI - 8.721
- Drake - 8.404
- Missouri State - 7.800
- Belmont - 7.705
- Indiana State - 7.445
- Bradley - 7.153
- Murray State - 7.113
- Southern Illinois - 6.018
- UIC - 6.014
- Evansville - 3.243
- Valparaiso - 2.709
Â
UNI Athletics action can be followed all year long on social media on Facebook (UNI Athletics), X (@UNIAthletics) and on Instagram (@uniathletics). Schedules and rosters, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
