AVON, OHIO –Indiana Wesleyan claimed the Crossroads League All-Sports Championship for the 2017-2018 year, taking the trophy for the 22nd time and the 17th time since 2000.

IWU won Crossroads League Championships in men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s cross country, men’s indoor track and field, men’s basketball and baseball and finished third-or-better in the Crossroads League standings in all 17 sports with six titles, nine runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes.

“It is always exciting to win the Crossroads League All-Sports Trophy,” said Indiana Wesleyan Director of Athletics Mark DeMichael. “It really is a testament to the comprehensive philosophy we have at IWU Athletics. We value all of our student-athletes and we are happy that they all have the opportunity to compete at a high level.”

DeMichael continued, “This award is a reflection of the quality coaches we are blessed to have and the athletic quality of the student-athletes that are coming to Indiana Wesleyan for the experience of discipleship and mentoring athletically, spiritually and educationally. We are very proud and happy to share this accomplishment with the entire athletic department and university.”

The IWU men’s basketball team led the way by claiming an NAIA Division II National Championship. Freshman Kyle Mangas, the former Warsaw star, paced the Wildcats. Mangas earned Crossroads Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, in addition to being named the lone freshman in the country as an All-American. Mangas set a single-season scoring record as the top scorer for coach Greg Tonagel’s squad.

The Wildcats claimed their 16th All-Sports Trophy in the past 17 years by racking up 156.5 points in the standings to post a 20-point gap on second-place Marian and a 27.5-point cushion over third-place Taylor. The IWU men accumulated 76.5 points to easily top second-place Marian (55.5) and third-place Taylor (55), while the IWU women finished with 80 points to end one-point shy of Marian for the top spot.

Points for the Crossroads League All-Sports Trophy are awarded based on each team’s finish in the regular season standings, or for a team’s finish at the league championship event for the sports of cross country, golf and track and field. A first-place finish earns 10 points, with nine points for second, eight for third and so on, until each team is given a point value.