West Chester Owns Top Spot in Dixon Trophy Race Through Winter

(March 20, 2008)

West Chester leads the competition for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s Dixon Trophy, the award given out to the league’s top overall athletic program.  The compilation of the standings are through the completion of the 2007 fall and 2007-2008 winter seasons.

West Chester has vaulted from fifth place after the fall season into first place after the winter season.  The Golden Rams own 108 points and are closely trailed by California (107).   IUP is staying strong in the hunt with (105.5). Shippensburg (104) and Edinboro (103) are also close enough to make a strong run at the top spot.  Six teams are bunched up in the middle as Slippery Rock (92.5), Kutztown (92), Clarion (91), East Stroudsburg (90.5), Bloomsburg (89) and Millersville (88) are all within four and one-half points of each other.

West Chester captured both men's and women's swimming titles to help boost them to the top spot.  Its women's basketball team also produced a strong showing with a final four appearance.  West Chester was last year's runner-up to Lock Haven in the Dixon Trophy standings and look to stay strong as they make a run to claim the program's first ever Dixon Trophy.

California is just one point behind West Chester with 107, climbing from fourth to second after the winter season.  The Vulcans' charge was led by their men's and women's basketball teams.  California's men's team captured the PSAC title while the women's team took home second place honors as they were tripped up in the finals by IUP.   
 

Women's basketball and swimming kept IUP strong in third place.  The Crimson Hawks captured their second straight PSAC title by defeating California.  IUP ended its season with a 27-5 record and the first seed in the Regional Tournament.  The IUP women's swim team took home a bronze medal finish that helped them to a total of 105.5 points.

Shippensburg women took home a share of the indoor track and field title, while its men's team finished second, raising the Red Raiders total to 104 points.  With the help of solid performances from the women's basketball team and women's and men's swimming, the Red Raiders are looking to bring the trophy back to Shippensburg for the first time since the 2004-2005 season.    

After a stellar performance from its wrestling team, the Fighting Scots of Edinboro find themselves only five points behind the leader.  The Fighting Scot grapplers convincingly won the PSAC title and will be taking their entire team to the National Tournament.  Edinboro's total was also boasted by a second place finish from its men's basketball team while the women's swimming team posted a strong fourth place finish to help them in the quest for the trophy. 

The presentation of the Dixon Trophy will take place after the spring sports season. The final determination of the trophy winner is based only on an institution’s best 12 finishes - the top six men’s and top six women’s placements. This year will mark the 13th presentation of the Dixon Trophy, named after F. Eugene Dixon Jr., former chairman of the Board of Governors of the State System of Higher Education, of which all 14 universities of the PSAC are members.

Standings through fall:
West Chester - 108 | California - 107 | IUP - 105.5 | Shippensburg - 104 | Edinboro - 103 | Slippery Rock - 92.5 |Kutztown - 92 | Clarion - 91 |
East Stroudsburg - 90.5 | Bloomsburg 89 | Millersville - 88 | Lock Haven - 80.5 | Mansfield - 34 | Cheyney - 34

The full sport-by-sport standings (.pdf) can be found by clicking here.