Hillsdale College and Northwood University athletic departments are excited to announce the return of "The Jack", the traveling all-sports rivalry trophy contested between the two programs, for the 2024-25 season.

Inaugurated in 1996 and named in honor of legendary athletic directors Jack McAvoy of Hillsdale and Jack Finn of Northwood, the trophy ceased being awarded following the 2016-17 school year after the Chargers departed the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for the Great Midwest Athletic Conference and the two programs were no longer on each other's schedules in every sport.

Now that the Timberwolves have joined Hillsdale in the G-MAC and the two teams are sharing a conference once again, current athletic directors John Tharp of Hillsdale and Jeff Curtis of Northwood have agreed to revive the tradition for the upcoming campaign.

"We at Hillsdale are extremely excited to work with Northwood and Jeff Curtis to bring back this tradition," John Tharp said. "It's great recognition for two legendary athletic directors who did so much for their institutions, and a chance to continue to honor their legacy.

"As two institutions based in Michigan with similar values and a long history of competition with each other, we have great respect for each other and the character embodied by our programs when they meet on the field. Bringing this trophy back will enhance the contests between our two programs, and give every athlete in every one of our NCAA sports something more to look forward to during the season and to play for when we take on the Timberwolves." 

The two teams will receive points for victories in head-to-head regular season competition between the two schools, as well as for the team with the better finish at conference championship events in sports without head-to-head contests.

The team with the most points at the end of the spring 2025 season will receive the trophy for the coming school year and bragging rights in the rivalry.

"Bringing back "The Jack" seemed like a great way to rekindle a pre-existing rivalry between Northwood University and Hillsdale College," Northwood Athletic Director Jeff Curtis said. "Both of the "Jacks" left a long-lasting legacy at each of their institutions and this is a great way for us to honor their work. 

"After some discussions with John Tharp we felt this would be a great idea to relaunch this tradition and give our student athletes something fun to compete for.  Our hope is that "The Jack" will not just symbolize athletic success, but also showcase a strong bond between two institutions that share similar values and beliefs."

The trophy is named in part after legendary Northwood athletic director Jack Finn. Finn was the Athletic Director at Northwood for 20 years and head football coach for 18 years. He was a key figure in the foundation of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in the mid '70s, serving as the league's first president and helping to grow the conference from humble beginnings into a powerhouse in many sports. As a coach, Finn's 87 victories on the gridiron are the second-most in program history, and he also led Northwood to three GLIAC Championships during his tenure.

An inductee into the first Northwood University Athletic Hall of Fame class in 2006, Finn is also a member of the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame, the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame, and the Midland County Sports Hall of Fame.

The trophy also is named after former Hillsdale College athletic director Jack McAvoy, who oversaw athletics at Hillsdale from 1975 to 1996 and helped guide the Chargers through the transition into the GLIAC in 1975, and later from the NAIA to NCAA Division II in the early 90s. A transformational AD who helped bring legendary coaches like Dick Lowry, Bill Lundberg, Diane Philipp and Chris Gravel to Hillsdale, McAvoy was also instrumental in the start and growth of women's athletics at Hillsdale, as well as the construction of the George Roche Sports Complex in the 1980s that remains the home of Chargers athletics.

A 1955 graduate of Hillsdale who played four years of football and won six total athletic letters, McAvoy spent seven seasons as an assistant football coach under Hillsdale legend Frank "Muddy" Waters before replacing him as head football coach and athletic director in 1974. McAvoy coached Chargers football for four seasons, putting up a 24-16-1 record, before stepping aside to focus on his duties as Athletic Director.

Following his retirement in 1996, McAvoy continued to support Chargers athletics right up to his passing in 2007. He was recognized for his many accomplishments as a member of both the NAIA and Hillsdale College Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Jack McAvoy Natatorium, the home of Hillsdale College's women's swimming and diving team, is named in his honor. The GLIAC also recognizes him with the Jack H. McAvoy Award, handed out annually to the football player in the GLIAC who best exemplifies character and leadership on and off the field.