LOCK HAVEN – Following an impressive fall season featuring two runner-up conference championship performances and strong contributions from all seven sponsored PSAC sports, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced on Wednesday that the East Stroudsburg University athletic department ranks second in the Dixon Trophy standings among 17 full-time institutions after the fall season.
The Warriors earned 39 All-PSAC selections, earned 18 conference athlete of the week honors and won over 70 percent of its games as of Nov. 25.
The Warriors women's teams led the conference among its five teams average finish at the PSAC championships, while ESU's three fall men's programs totaled the fourth-highest average finish in the conference. ESU totaled the highest mark in the PSAC East and state schools in the PASSHE system.
Men's Cross Country (16 pts.): The team matched its best finish in program history at the PSAC Championships in Kutztown, earning 16 points in the Dixon Trophy standings. Landon Boyle and Bryce Keenoy each placed in the top 15, earning All-PSAC First Team honors. The Warriors later secured seventh place at the Atlantic Regional, their first top-10 finish since 2019.
Field Hockey (15 pts.): ESU finished 17-5, earning runner-up honors in the PSAC Championship after a 1-0 overtime loss to Shippensburg. Led by two-time PSAC East Athlete of the Year Jady van Gils, the Warriors advanced to the NCAA Semifinals for the seventh consecutive season after a thrilling 3-2 overtime win against Bloomsburg in the NCAA First Round. They fell to eventual national champion Saint Anselm in the semifinals.
Women's Cross Country (15 pts.): The team took third at the PSAC Championships, its best finish since 2017. All-PSAC First Team honorees Daniella Napoli and Payton Falkenstein led the way as ESU qualified as a team for the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1999 by finishing third at the NCAA Atlantic Regional.
Volleyball (14 pts.): The Warriors secured their second consecutive 20-win season, finishing 20-8. Anna Coulter repeated as PSAC East Athlete of the Year, ranking nationally in hitting percentage (4th), blocks per set (3rd), points per set (9th), and total blocks (11th). All-PSAC honorees included Taylor Haan and Leonor Chambel. Haan became the seventh Warrior setter in program history to reach 2,000 career assists. ESU advanced to the PSAC Semifinals after a 3-0 sweep of Shippensburg but fell to conference and regional power Gannon to close its season.
Football (14 pts.): ESU posted a historic 10-1 regular season, with its only loss coming to eventual PSAC Champion Kutztown in a close 27-21 contest. The Warriors earned 15 All-PSAC selections, their second-most in program history and the highest since 1968. ESU showed off balance throughout the season, with a strong running back tandem in Tyriq Lewis and Tahir Mills who both earned All-PSAC East First Team honors. Quarterback Sean McTaggart broke his head coach Jimmy Terwilliger's program completion percentage record, tossing 26 touchdowns to just five interceptions in 11 starts. The Warriors boasted the top offense in the conference in terms of yards and points, while the stout defense allowed just 100-yard rusher and held opponents to less than 200 yards passing in eight of 12 contests. ESU earned back-to-back NCAA Playoff berths for just the second time in program history, falling 30-27 to California (Pa.) on a game-winning field goal as time expired in the NCAA First Round.
Women's Soccer (8.5 points): ESU finished 8-3-7, led by All-PSAC East honorees Rebeca Kotula and Natalie Schooley. Both players finished their careers ranked in the top 10 in program history in goals. Kotula earned All-PSAC East First Team honors for the past two seasons, while Schooley earned back-to-back Second Team selections.
Men's Soccer (7.5 pts.): The Warriors posted an 8-4-5 record, with three losses coming by a single goal. Ignasi Cucurella Tuset earned D2CCA All-Region Second Team accolades, and Drew Nyce was named PSAC East Freshman of the Year, joining teammates Cayetano Diaz, Hunter Stites, and Benny Goodrich as All-PSAC honorees.
The Dixon Trophy, named after F. Eugene Dixon Jr., is awarded annually to the PSAC institution with the highest cumulative score based on conference playoff and/or regular-season results. ESU achieved its best-ever finish in the standings in 2023-24, placing third behind Slippery Rock and Gannon.
The next standings update will be released following the PSAC basketball championships in March 2025. The winter season includes seven PSAC Championships: men's and women's basketball, wrestling, men's and women's swimming, and men's and women's indoor track and field.
Dixon Trophy Standings – Fall 2024-25
- Gannon – 13.21
- East Stroudsburg – 12.86
- Kutztown – 11.75
- Indiana (Pa.) – 11.14
- Slippery Rock – 10.93
- Shippensburg – 10.36
- Bloomsburg – 10.06
- West Chester – 9.44
- Millersville – 8.00
- Shepherd – 7.43
- California – 7.36
- Lock Haven – 7.10
- Pitt-Johnstown – 7.08
- Edinboro – 6.50
- Seton Hill – 6.50
- Clarion – 5.10
- Mansfield – 3.50
