Shippensburg's administrators and coaches were on hand to accept the 2009-10 Dixon Trophy.
Shippensburg Claims 2009-10 Dixon Trophy
Final 2009-10 Dixon Trophy Standings
Harrisburg, Pa. - Shippensburg University has won the 2009-10 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Dixon Trophy, it was announced today at the PSAC's annual Board of Directors' meeting in Harrisburg. The award is given on an annual basis to the league’s most successful athletics program.
The Dixon Trophy is named after F. Eugene Dixon, Jr., former chairman of the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Each year it is awarded to the PSAC member institution that accumulates the most points based on results of conference playoffs and/or regular-season records. Each institution's point total is calculated by adding its top six men's finishes and top six women's finishes in 22 conference sports.
Shippensburg's triumph marked the sixth time the school has laid claim to the trophy, the most among PSAC schools. The Red Raider programs had not won the title, however, since winning three straight from 2002-03 through 2004-05.
Shippensburg totaled 161.5 points, two points ahead of defending champion California. The same two schools finished in the top two spots a year ago, with California edging out its rival by three points.
In winning this year's crown, Shippensburg won five league championships - football, women's cross country, women's indoor track and field, and men's and women's outdoor track and field. Other notable performances came with a runner-up finish in field hockey and third-place showings in men's cross country, men's indoor track and field, women's swimming and women's volleyball. The men's programs totaled 73.5 points and the women's programs totaled 88, both of which were second highest among their respective genders.
California won PSAC titles in baseball, women's golf, women's tennis and women's volleyball to aid in its point total. Other strong finishes came in the form second-place efforts in men's golf, football, women's basketball and softball, and third-place points for women's soccer. The Vulcans had the highest score on the women's side, amassing 92 of a possible 96 points for that gender.
Kutztown, despite a lone PSAC title in men's tennis, finished in third place with 152.5 points. The Golden Bears also had runner-up spots in baseball, men's basketball and women's soccer. Bloomsburg, with 148.5 points, and West Chester with 146, rounded out the top five. IUP, which had the highest tally among men's programs with 76 points, finished in sixth place with a total of 143.
Seven schools have won the Dixon Trophy since its inception in 1994-95. In addition to Shippensburg and California (1), Lock Haven (3), Bloomsburg (2), Kutztown (1), Slippery Rock (1) and Millersville (1) have all won the crown.
Final 2009-10 Standings
1. Shippensburg 161.5
2. California 159.5
3. Kutztown 153.0
4. Bloomsburg 148.5
5. West Chester 146.0
6. IUP 143.0
7. Slippery Rock 136.0
8. East Stroudsburg 133.5
9. Lock Haven 131.5
10. Clarion 118.0
11. Mercyhurst 114.5
12. Edinboro 109.0
13. Gannon 108.5
14. Millersville 98.5
15. Mansfield 65.0
16. Cheyney 37.0