WCU Magazine Summer 2026

WCU ATHLETICS TAKES HOME DIXON TROPHY

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Commissioner Steve Murray presented the University with this year’s F. Eugene Dixon Trophy in May. It marks the sixth time and the first since 2018-19 that WCU Athletics has won the conference crown, 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 the late F. Eugene Dixon, Jr., former chairman of the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

Terry Beattie, director of athletics, said that the win “is a reflection of the incredible depth and breadth of what we’ve built at the University. This isn’t about any one team or one season: It’s a testament to the collective excellence of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff across every sport. The PSAC is one of the most competitive conferences in Division II athletics, and to be recognized as the top all-around program in this league means a lot to our community. We talk constantly about ‘Together, We Are Golden,’ and this trophy is proof that our people have bought into that vision. Golden Rams athletics continues to excel, and we couldn’t be prouder.”

This is the third Dixon Trophy awarded to the University during Beattie’s tenure.

The Golden Rams won three conference titles in 2025-26: both the men’s and women’s swimming championship and the men’s golf title. The Golden Rams appeared in the PSAC title game in baseball while finishing runner-up in women’s golf and women’s outdoor track & field.