Dixon Trophy standings / PSAC release

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University placed eighth in the Dixon Trophy standings for the 2009-10 academic year, it was announced by the PSAC on Tuesday.

The trophy is awarded by the conference to the institution whose athletic program earns the best overall finish in conference championships and/or regular season play. Each school's top 12 finishes, six men's and six women's, are used to calculate the final standings.

ESU finished in the top half of the PSAC in all 12 sports that counted towards its final placement and had 133.5 points, posting a slight increase from last year's total of 130.33 that ranked ninth in the conference.

Shippensburg won its sixth Dixon Trophy, earning championships in men's and women's outdoor track and field last weekend to overtake California, last year's winner, by a 161.5 to 159.5 margin. Kutztown, Bloomsburg and West Chester rounded out the top five.

The Warriors used strong performances by their basketball, indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country programs to rank fourth among the men's sports in the conference with 71.5 points.

ESU won a share of its first PSAC East regular season championship in men's basketball since 1992, finished as the runner-up in both indoor and outdoor track and field and was fourth in men's cross country. The baseball and soccer programs also counted towards the top six in the men's standings.

The Warriors' women were also led by the track and field teams, which placed third indoors and fourth outdoors, while the soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and softball teams all qualified for the PSAC playoffs.

The complete Dixon Trophy standings for 2009-10 are below:

1. Shippensburg – 161.5
2. California – 159.5
3. Kutztown – 152.5
4. Bloomsburg – 148.5
5. West Chester – 146
6. IUP – 143
7. Slippery Rock – 136
8. ESU – 133.5
9. Lock Haven – 131.5
10. Clarion – 118
11. Mercyhurst – 114.5
12. Edinboro – 109
13. Gannon – 108.5
14. Millersville – 98.5
15. Mansfield – 65
16. Cheyney – 37