COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the first time in the 35-year history of the award, Otterbein University has captured the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Women's All-Sports Trophy after a standout 2018-19 athletic calendar.

The OAC All-Sports Trophy, initially established in 1985, was created to recognize cumulative success across a school's varsity sport programs and how they finish within the league. Otterbein finished the recent year with 78.25 points collectively, good enough to narrowly edge out runner-up Mount Union with 76.25.

The Cardinals nearly accomplished this feat on the women's side last year after finishing second by the same two-point margin to Ohio Northern, which had previously captured three-straight all-sports trophies.

"It's been a long time coming," said Connie Richardson, senior associate athletic director. "This was always something that Coach Reynolds and then Dawn, especially, strove for. I think it says tremendous things about our student-athletes in general and is now a cool aspect that we get to promote from an administrative standpoint."

Otterbein was spearheaded this time around on the strength of OAC championships in cross country, soccer, softball, volleyball and indoor track and field. The Cards then had upper-division finishes in almost every other sport, including third-place amongst the standings for tennis, golf and outdoor track and field.

Making matters more impressive was the aspect of Otterbein not having swimming as one of the 11 OAC sponsored sports, which has annually forced the Cards to start five points behind the field.

"The key for an award like this is consistency," Richardson added. "The year in, year out work ethic from our coaches to lead their programs and pursue success has been admirable. They work hard in recruiting great kids and, when you put all of that together, good thing will happen eventually. I'm excited to keep our foot on the gas pedal and carry this momentum into next school year."

Otterbein finished third on the men's side of the All-Sports standings, tallying 70.25 points to rank behind John Carroll (88.50) and Mount Union (75.25). The men brought home league trophies in cross baseball, cross country and golf along with a runner-up effort in indoor track and field.

Otterbein now has three All-Sports trophies in all as the men hold two, coming after successful runs in 2001-02 and 2004-05.

Stewart, Richardson, retiring Faculty Athletics Representative Jim Gorman and other members of the department accepted the All-Sports Trophy Monday night at the OAC Awards Dinner in town.

See entire final list of All-Sports Standings HERE.