LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – IUP made a huge jump in the race for the 2015-16 Dixon Trophy, rising four spots to No. 6 as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) released its latest standings on Thursday afternoon.
 
These standings include both the fall and winter conference championships. IUP was 10th at the conclusion of the fall season.
 
The trophy is awarded at the end of each academic year to the league's most successful program based on conference playoff and/or regular-season finish. Standings are compiled based on average score for all PSAC Championship sports each school sponsors. Equal to its total membership, each conference sport champion is awarded 18 points and a descending point value is given for respective place finishes. The second- through last-place values vary depending on the number of teams that sponsor the sport.
 
IUP's overall average increased from 9.71 to 10.81 with a successful winter season. Shippensburg leads the Dixon Trophy standings with an average of 12.67 while Edinboro trails at 12.45 and West Chester is third with a 12.27. Slippery Rock's average of 11.68 is fourth and Bloomsburg sits just in front of the Crimson Hawks in fifth place with an average of 11.45.
 
IUP's men's average is the highest of all conference schools, checking in at 13.33. Men's basketball netted 15.5 points with its PSAC semifinal finish. Men's swimming scored 12 points while the indoor track & field team added 11.
 
The IUP women's average ranks 11th in the conference despite the performance of basketball and swimming. Women's basketball scored 17 points with their PSAC tournament runner-up finish while swimming earned 15 points by wrapping up the conference meet in third place overall. Women's indoor track finished with two points.
 
In its 21st year of existence, the award is named in honor of F. Eugene Dixon, Jr., former chairman of Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's Board of Governors. Seven different institutions have won the Dixon Trophy. Shippensburg has laid claim to the honor a league-best seven times, while Lock Haven and Bloomsburg have three titles apiece. California and West Chester each have two Dixon Trophy victories. Kutztown, Slippery Rock, and Millersville have each won one Dixon Trophy.
 
Seven PSAC Championships will be contested in the 2015-16 spring season: men's and women's tennis, women's lacrosse, baseball, softball, and men's and women's outdoor track and field. The winner of the Dixon Trophy will be released following the completion of the spring championships in mid-May.
 
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk.
 
IUP's All-Time Dixon Trophy Finishes
2014-15    Sixth
2013-14    Fourth
2012-13    Second
2011-12    Seventh
2010-11    Second
2009-10    Sixth
2008-09    Fifth
2007-08    Ffith
2006-07    Sixth
2005-06    Sixth
2004-05    Third
2003-04    Third
2002-03    Second
2001-02    Sixth
2000-01    Eighth
1999-00    Fourth
1998-99    Second
1997-98    Second
1996-97    Fourth
1995-96    Third