HILLSBORO, Ore. – Whitworth University has reclaimed the Northwest Conference McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy, based on final standings released today by the conference office.

Whitworth outscored two-time defending champion George Fox University by 34 points to take back a trophy the Pirates possessed every year from 2007-08 through 2018-19.  There was no trophy presented in 2019-20 and 2020-21 due to COVID-19 impacting results.

Click here for the official release.

The NWC McIlory-Lewis All-Sports Trophy recognizes athletic excellence among member institutions across all fields of competition. It is named in honor of John Lewis, a long-time baseball coach (1947-72), basketball coach (1947-67) and athletics director (1952- 72) at Willamette University; and Jane McIlroy, Linfield College's women's athletics director and physical education professor from 1950-82 who also coached field hockey (1952-81), basketball, volleyball, softball and tennis.

Whitworth picked up the maximum 18 available points for NWC championships in football and men's swimming, and 17 points for a co-championship in men's basketball.  Four Pirate teams were NWC runners up:  men's soccer, volleyball, men's track & field and women's track & field.  Six other Whitworth teams finished in third place, meaning more than half (13) of Pirate teams finished among the top three places in final NWC standings this year.

In addition to the 12 consecutive trophies from 2008 through 2019, Whitworth won its initial trophy in 2004-05, giving the Pirates a total of 14 McIlroy-Lewis trophies in its history.  PLU has won 15 times, but not since 2002.  Linfield has three trophies, George Fox and Puget Sound two each and Willamette won once.