Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Earns Fifth Reese Trophy as MAC's Top Men's Program
5/30/2018 8:24:00 PM | General
EMU previously won it in 1987-88, 1990-91, 1995-96, and 2007-08
MAC Institutional Awards.
Scott Wetherbee Interview.
Photo Gallery.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) - Eastern Michigan University was awarded with the Reese Trophy as the top men's athletic program in the Mid-American Conference at the MAC Honors Dinner in Cleveland Wednesday night, May 30. The Eagles earned the honor for the fifth time in the 61-year history of this prestigious award. EMU previously won the award in 1987-88, 1990-91, 1995-96, and 2007-08.
The Reese Trophy is named for former MAC Commissioner David E. Reese, the first-ever MAC Commissioner who served the league from its inception in 1946 until retiring in 1964.
For the 2017-18 academic year, EMU men's sports programs won a MAC championship in cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field. It was the fourth time Eastern completed the triple crown (2000-01, 2001-02, 2006-07) since 1981, and just the seventh time the feat has been accomplished in conference history – men or women.
"This is a tremendous milestone for our program after having won the Cartwright Award last year for the department's overall excellence," said EMU Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "This award is a tribute to the quality of coaches we have teaching our student-athletes and the type of students they recruit to Eastern Michigan to compete for our teams. Our men's programs have truly earned their recognition as the best in the Mid-American Conference. We are extremely proud of their work ethic and commitment to excellence in all that they do."
EMU claimed the all-sports title with an average score of 8.94. The Eagles topped runner-up Western Michigan University (8.800) and Miami University (8.000) in a tight race to the finish. Points are awarded based on each school's finish with the overall total divided by the number of sports sponsored by each school.
The Green and White won the award thanks to outstanding performances by its perennially strong programs, as well as solid showings from some steadily improving programs.
EMU's men's basketball program finished the regular season with a 20-11 overall record, 11-7 in the MAC for the No. 3 seed in the MAC Men's Basketball Tournament. The Eagles played in the postseason in the CIT Tournament with a win over Niagara University before a second-round loss to Sam Houston State University. In football, Eastern Michigan posted a 5-7 overall record and recorded the program's first ever win against a Big Ten Conference opponent with a 16-13 road win at Rutgers University, Sept. 9, 2017.
Baseball finished with a 22-34 overall regular season record, including 14-13 in the MAC as the No. 6 seed in the MAC Tournament. The swimming & diving program turned in a runner-up showing at the championships, while wrestling tied for fourth in the regular season standings. Rounding out the EMU's men's sports, golf took seventh at the MAC Championships after posting four top-five showings throughout the year.
The University of Toledo won the Jacoby Trophy in women's competition with Eastern Michigan taking fourth. The women's trophy is named for former MAC Commissioner Fred Jacoby. Jacoby was the MAC Commissioner from 1971-82 and is credited with incorporating women's athletics into the conference structure.
Overall, it marked just the fourth time since 1999-2000 that Eastern Michigan placed inside the top-four spots in both standings. EMU was fourth in both categories last year, while finishing as the runner-up for the Jacoby and fourth in the Reese standings in 2015-16. The other time occurred in 2013-14 when the Green and White were third on the women's side and fourth on the men's.
Coupled with five MAC team titles and 38 individual MAC championships, the 2017-18 campaign was one of the most successful seasons in Eastern Michigan history. In the classroom, EMU student-athletes posted a 3.259 cumulative grade point average (GPA) during the winter semester, the second-highest mark on record. It was the 17th term in a row EMU student-athletes have earned over a 3.0 GPA.
2017-18 Reese Trophy Standings
1. Eastern Michigan - 8.944
2. Western Michigan - 8.800
3. Miami - 8.000
4. Kent State - 7.750
5. Akron - 7.738
6. Central Michigan - 6.923
7. Toledo - 6.833
8. Ball State - 6.750
9. Buffalo - 6.071
10. Ohio - 5.083
11. Northern Illinois - 4.881
12. Bowling Green - 4.083
2017-18 Jacoby Trophy Standings
1. Toledo - 8.925
2. Miami - 8.050
3. Kent State - 7.900
4. Eastern Michigan - 7.863
5. Buffalo - 7.611
6. Central Michigan - 7.000
7. Bowling Green - 6.545
8. Northern Illinois - 6.350
9. Western Michigan - 6.250
10. Akron - 6.000
11. Ball State - 5.938
12. Ohio - 5.600
Scott Wetherbee Interview.
Photo Gallery.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) - Eastern Michigan University was awarded with the Reese Trophy as the top men's athletic program in the Mid-American Conference at the MAC Honors Dinner in Cleveland Wednesday night, May 30. The Eagles earned the honor for the fifth time in the 61-year history of this prestigious award. EMU previously won the award in 1987-88, 1990-91, 1995-96, and 2007-08.
The Reese Trophy is named for former MAC Commissioner David E. Reese, the first-ever MAC Commissioner who served the league from its inception in 1946 until retiring in 1964.
For the 2017-18 academic year, EMU men's sports programs won a MAC championship in cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field. It was the fourth time Eastern completed the triple crown (2000-01, 2001-02, 2006-07) since 1981, and just the seventh time the feat has been accomplished in conference history – men or women.
"This is a tremendous milestone for our program after having won the Cartwright Award last year for the department's overall excellence," said EMU Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "This award is a tribute to the quality of coaches we have teaching our student-athletes and the type of students they recruit to Eastern Michigan to compete for our teams. Our men's programs have truly earned their recognition as the best in the Mid-American Conference. We are extremely proud of their work ethic and commitment to excellence in all that they do."
EMU claimed the all-sports title with an average score of 8.94. The Eagles topped runner-up Western Michigan University (8.800) and Miami University (8.000) in a tight race to the finish. Points are awarded based on each school's finish with the overall total divided by the number of sports sponsored by each school.
The Green and White won the award thanks to outstanding performances by its perennially strong programs, as well as solid showings from some steadily improving programs.
EMU's men's basketball program finished the regular season with a 20-11 overall record, 11-7 in the MAC for the No. 3 seed in the MAC Men's Basketball Tournament. The Eagles played in the postseason in the CIT Tournament with a win over Niagara University before a second-round loss to Sam Houston State University. In football, Eastern Michigan posted a 5-7 overall record and recorded the program's first ever win against a Big Ten Conference opponent with a 16-13 road win at Rutgers University, Sept. 9, 2017.
Baseball finished with a 22-34 overall regular season record, including 14-13 in the MAC as the No. 6 seed in the MAC Tournament. The swimming & diving program turned in a runner-up showing at the championships, while wrestling tied for fourth in the regular season standings. Rounding out the EMU's men's sports, golf took seventh at the MAC Championships after posting four top-five showings throughout the year.
The University of Toledo won the Jacoby Trophy in women's competition with Eastern Michigan taking fourth. The women's trophy is named for former MAC Commissioner Fred Jacoby. Jacoby was the MAC Commissioner from 1971-82 and is credited with incorporating women's athletics into the conference structure.
Overall, it marked just the fourth time since 1999-2000 that Eastern Michigan placed inside the top-four spots in both standings. EMU was fourth in both categories last year, while finishing as the runner-up for the Jacoby and fourth in the Reese standings in 2015-16. The other time occurred in 2013-14 when the Green and White were third on the women's side and fourth on the men's.
Coupled with five MAC team titles and 38 individual MAC championships, the 2017-18 campaign was one of the most successful seasons in Eastern Michigan history. In the classroom, EMU student-athletes posted a 3.259 cumulative grade point average (GPA) during the winter semester, the second-highest mark on record. It was the 17th term in a row EMU student-athletes have earned over a 3.0 GPA.
2017-18 Reese Trophy Standings
1. Eastern Michigan - 8.944
2. Western Michigan - 8.800
3. Miami - 8.000
4. Kent State - 7.750
5. Akron - 7.738
6. Central Michigan - 6.923
7. Toledo - 6.833
8. Ball State - 6.750
9. Buffalo - 6.071
10. Ohio - 5.083
11. Northern Illinois - 4.881
12. Bowling Green - 4.083
2017-18 Jacoby Trophy Standings
1. Toledo - 8.925
2. Miami - 8.050
3. Kent State - 7.900
4. Eastern Michigan - 7.863
5. Buffalo - 7.611
6. Central Michigan - 7.000
7. Bowling Green - 6.545
8. Northern Illinois - 6.350
9. Western Michigan - 6.250
10. Akron - 6.000
11. Ball State - 5.938
12. Ohio - 5.600
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