West Chester Earns 2014-15 Dixon Trophy
2014-15 Dixon Trophy Final Standings (.pdf)
All-Time Standings
Harrisburg, Pa. – West Chester University has claimed the honor as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s top program by winning the 2014-15 Dixon Trophy. For West Chester, it marks the second time the school has won the award, having earned the distinction for the first time in 2012-13.
This year marks the 20th time the PSAC has recognized a Dixon Trophy recipient, given annually to the institution that accumulates the top score based on results of conference playoffs and/or regular-season records. The trophy is named in honor of F. Eugene Dixon, Jr., former chairman of the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education.
The award is given to the program which generates the top average point value among each PSAC Championship sport it sponsors. Each sport champion earns 18 points - based on the league's membership total - and descending point values are awarded for respective placement.
West Chester established an overall average of 13.36 points, narrowly edging out last year’s champion, California, which netted a 13.06 average. Slippery Rock came in third place by averaging 12.12 points, while Shippensburg (11.25) and Bloomsburg (10.8) rounded out the top five.
West Chester showcased a balanced effort among its men’s and women’s programs, both of which finished with the second highest averages among PSAC schools. The women averaged 13.92 points across 12 sports, bolstered by league titles in field hockey and swimming, a runner-up finish in basketball and third-place point totals in softball, lacrosse, tennis, volleyball and soccer. The men averaged 12.7 points over 10 sports, including PSAC crowns in swimming and golf, third place in football, fourth in soccer and fifth in basketball.
California finished in second place despite winning a league-high five PSAC Championships and increasing its overall average (12.28 to 13.06) from a year ago. The Vulcans women’s programs averaged a league-best 15 points over 10 sports while capturing titles in volleyball, golf, basketball, tennis and softball, and also collected fourth-place totals in soccer, and indoor and outdoor track. California’s men averaged 10.63 points with cross country, football, golf, indoor track and field and baseball all registering above that mark.
A third-place showing for Slippery Rock marks the school’s highest finish since winning the trophy in 2007-08. The Rock averaged the top score for all men’s programs with a 14.07 average, highlighted by a PSAC Football crown and runner-up totals in indoor and outdoor track and field. The Rock women elevated their average to 10.75 points, over a point and half better than last year. Helping that cause were second-place points for both track and field seasons and fifth-place points in cross country and soccer.
Shippensburg tied West Chester for the second most championships, taking home gold in men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field. The Raiders also collected a runner up in men’s cross country and third-place showings in women’s cross country and field hockey. Bloomsburg (10.8) and IUP (10.79) had several top three finishes and were able to place fifth and sixth, respectively, without winning any conference titles. The Huskies had runner-up finishes in football, men’s soccer, women’s cross country and women’s swimming. IUP’s second-place finishes came in women’s tennis, and basketball, golf and swimming on the men’s side.
By winning the all-sports award for the second time, West Chester became the fifth school to win the Dixon Trophy in multiple years. Shippensburg owns the most titles with seven. Bloomsburg and Lock Haven have won three apiece, while California joins West Chester as two-time winners. Kutztown, Millersville and Slippery Rock have also won an all-sports crown.