Cleveland State Vikings

The Cleveland State Vikings, or Vikes, are the athletic teams of Cleveland State University. Before as Fenn College they were known as the Fenn College Foxes or Fenn Foxes. Cleveland State competes in NCAA Division I. The Vikings have competed in NCAA Division I since 1972. They were previously members of the NCAA College Division, a precursor to NCAA Division II. The university is a member of the Horizon League (1994–present), the Mid-American Conference (2019–present) for wrestling, and the Northeast Conference (2024–present) for men's lacrosse. Cleveland State was formerly in the Mid-Continent Conference (1982–1994) and North Star Conference (1989–1992). Cleveland State previously fielded baseball, men's cross country as well as men and women's track and field. As Fenn College they fielded men's ice hockey and rifle. Cleveland State has a number of club sports as well.

On January 23, 2025, Cleveland State announced that the school would eliminate the wrestling, women's golf, and softball teams after the 2024-25 academic year.

Facilities

Current facilities

* The Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Convocation Center- Men and women's basketball
* Krenzler Soccer Field — Men's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer
* Robert F. Busbey Natatorium – Men and women's swimming and diving
* Homer E. Woodling Gymnasium – Volleyball, wrestling and fencing
*Viking Field – Softball
*The Robert Malaga Tennis Center – Men and women's tennis

Former facilities

* All Pro Freight Stadium – Baseball
* The Ellwood H. Fisher Swimming Pool – Men's swimming
* Fenn Gym – Wrestling and fencing
* Homer E. Woodling Gymnasium – Men and women's basketball

Athletic Director history

McCafferty Trophy

The McCafferty Trophy is awarded by the Horizon League to the school with the best overall athletic performance in all the sponsored sports. Cleveland State has won the award twice, in 2008 and 2013. Below is a table of the Cleveland State finishes and points.

Baseball

Baseball at Cleveland State was played for a total of 69 seasons. On May 2, 2011, Clevleland State University announced that they would eliminate the baseball team. The reasons cited were budget concerns as well as the difficulty of having a baseball team in the northern United States with the season starting earlier and earlier and favoring teams in the warmer southern United States.

Regular season
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (2):
:1986, 1989
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Tournament
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Men's basketball

Regular season
*Mid-Continent Conference championships (3):
:1985, 1986, 1993
*Horizon League championships (2):
:2011, 2021

Tournament
*Mid-Continent Conference championships (1):
:1986
*Horizon League championships (2):
:2009, 2021

Men's cross country

*Cleveland State dropped Men's Cross Country after the 1993 season.
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (1):
:1992

NCAA Championship history

E-Sports

Cleveland State University launched a Division I esports program which kicked off its inaugural season in the fall of 2022.

Now they have inaugurated a new Esports Lab in Fenn Hall on September 24, 2024, located within the Washkewicz College of Engineering. This marks a major advancement for the university's esports program, which previously operated off-campus at the Cavs Legion Lair. The creation of the dedicated lab was a collaborative effort, with significant contributions from Dr. Susan Carver and Dr. Richard Schoephoerster. Their support, along with efforts from the FAST and IS&T staff, ensured the lab was ready for use by student-athletes in August. PJ Farrell, Director of Esports, expressed enthusiasm for the new space, emphasizing its role in strengthening the program and creating opportunities for growth. The lab also supports CSU's involvement in major esports events, such as high school playoffs and collegiate tournaments. Cleveland State's esports teams compete in the GLEC and NACE Premier Conferences across titles including '' Rocket League'', ''League of Legends'', ''Valorant'', and '' Overwatch''.

Men's fencing

Record by year

Head coaching history

Football

On October 14, 2008, Cleveland State University President Michael Schwartz stated "he wants a blue ribbon panel to give him a recommendation on the football team before July 1 when he is scheduled to retire. He also said the program will have to be structured to pay for itself." On November 19, 2008, it was revealed that President Schwartz had chosen the committee members to explore the feasibility of football at Cleveland State. On October 9, 2009, it was announced the university had completed its feasibility study. From April 12–14, 2010 the Cleveland State Student Government Association polled students online about whether they favored football at Cleveland State. The results were as follows.

Men's golf

*
*Mid-Continent Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (10): 1998, 2006, 2008–09, 2011, 2014–18

Men's ice hockey

*Ohio-Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Hockey League Team Championships (0):

Record by year

Head coaching history

Men's lacrosse

Cleveland State established its varsity men's lacrosse program on March 30, 2015. The Vikings' inaugural lacrosse match was a 13–8 home loss to Michigan on February 4, 2017.

CSU competed as an independent for its first five men's lacrosse seasons. After the 2021 season, CSU joined the newly reinstated men's lacrosse league of the Atlantic Sun Conference (then officially the ASUN Conference). After the 2024 season, CSU left ASUN men's lacrosse for the Northeast Conference, which reinstated the sport after a two-season absence.

Head coaching history

Men's rifle

*No team since 1937–1938, no place to shoot.

Head coaching history

Men's soccer

Regular season
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (3):
:1984, 1986, 1988
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Tournament
*Horizon League Team Championships (1):
:2012

Men's swimming & diving

* Penn-Ohio Conference Championships (14): 1974, 1976–1986, 1990–1992
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (4):
:1998, 1999, 2006, 2013

Record by year

Head coaching history

Men's tennis

Cleveland State dropped tennis as a sport following the 1991–1992 school year. Tennis was brought back for the 1999–2000 school year.

*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (9):
:2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024

Men's track & field

*Cleveland State dropped Men's Track & Field after the 1992 season.

Outdoor track and field
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):

Indoor track and field
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):

NCAA Championship history

Head coaching history

Wrestling

*Eastern Wrestling League Team Championships (1):
:1979
*Nine Vikings have achieved All-American status.
:Lee Barylski, 142 pounds (1970)
:Paul Azzarti, Heavyweight (1971)
:Frank Yoo, 142 pounds (1972)
:Tony DiGiovanni, 134 pounds (1973)
:Tom Cavanaugh, 150 pounds (1973)
:Toby Matney, 158 pounds (1979)
:Dave Zahoransky, 142 pounds (1986, 1988)
:Dan Carcelli, 142 pounds (1995)
:Evan Cheek, 141 pounds (2020)

Record by year

Head coaching history

Women's basketball

Regular season
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Tournament
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (2): 2008, 2010

Women's cross country

*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):
First Season 1980

Women's fencing

Record by year

Women's golf

*Horizon League Team Championships (1): 2017

Record by year

*Totals updated through the end of the 2010–2011 school year.

Head coaching history

Women's soccer

Regular season
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Tournament
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Record by year

*Totals updated through the end of the 2016–2017 school year.

Head coaching history

Softball

Regular season
*North Star Conference Team Championships (0):
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (2):
:2008, 2010

Tournament
*North Star Conference Team Championships (0):
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (3):
:1997, 2009, 2024

Record by year

NCAA Championship history

Head coaching history

Women's swimming & diving

*Penn-Ohio Conference Championships (2): 1990 and 1991
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Record by year

Head coaching history

Women's tennis

*North Star Conference Team Championships (0):
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Record by year

Head coaching history

Women's track & field

*Women's Track & Field ceased to exist after the 199? season. It was reinstated beginning in 2017.

Outdoor track and field
*North Star Conference Team Championships (?):
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Indoor track and field
*North Star Conference Team Championships (?):
*Horizon League Team Championships (0):

Women's volleyball

Regular season
*North Star Conference Team Championships (0):
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (4):
:2009, 2012, 2015, 2016

Tournament
*North Star Conference Team Championships (0):
*Mid-Continent Conference Team Championships (0):
*Horizon League Team Championships (4):
:2007, 2012, 2015, 2016

Club sports – crew (rowing)

Viking Crew is a successful coed club crew.http://www.csurowing.com Viking Crew . Accessed November 28, 2010. Each year the team travels around the nation to compete against other top collegiate crew. In 2006 the team's lightweight men's four traveled to Boston to race in the Head of the Charles Regatta. In 2007 and 2009 the team raced at Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta with over 37 boats in their race. In 2009 Cleveland State won the Hammer Ergatta cup and the Cleveland Collegiate Regatta cup.

*Mid-America Collegiate Rowing Association Championships (0):
*Cleveland Collegiate Regatta Championships (1):
*Hammer Ergatta Championships (1):

Spring season regattas

Fall season regattas

Head coaching history

Notes

References

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External links

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{{Authority control

College sports in Ohio