SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University's athletic department has found the best of both worlds.

The Rock recently won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's Dixon Trophy — symbolic of the league's most successful all-around program — and had 181 athletes earn PSACscholar-athlete honors.

Scholar-athlete awards are given to PSACathletes maintaining at least a 3.25 grade point average for their college careers. Of the 401 student athletes at SRU, 45 percent attained such academic standing.

"This shows that success on the field can be achieved by doing things the right way,"SRUathletic director Paul Lueken said. "That's what we try to be about."

The Dixon Trophy is awarded annually to the PSACschool accumulating the most points based on results of conference playoffs and/or regular-season records. Each school's point total is calculated by adding its top six men's finishes and top six women's finishes in 21 sports.

SRUhas 19 varsity sports. The Rock tallied 132.5 points in 2007-08, beating out runner-up West Chester by two points. California (Pa.) finished third with 125.5 points. West Chester has 21 varsity sports, California 18.

This is the first time in the 13-year history of the Dixon Trophy that it's been won by a school west of Lock Haven University.

"It's a traveling trophy, sort of like the Stanley Cup,"Lueken said. "We get to keep it for a year and we plan on showing it off.

"The disappointment in the timing of it is that the announcement came after our seniors graduated and left. We're planning on celebrating this in the fall, when 90 percent of the seniors responsible for the trophy will be out doing their thing in the world. But they'll all be invited back."

The Rock swept the PSACindoor and outdoor men's and women's track and field titles, and finished second in men's cross country, women's soccer and women's tennis to capture the coveted prize. Women's cross country and the football team — which posted a 9-2 record — also bolstered SRU's point total.

"This is a huge accomplishment for the entire institution,"SRUtrack coach John Papa said. "There is a lot of great leadership at this university, from the president to the athletic director, down through the coaches and the student athletes themselves.

"We've come close to winning this cup before. This is the biggest accomplishment an athletic department in our league can realize."

The Rock finished third in the Dixon Trophy standings in 2002-03 and last year.

SRU's track teams had not swept the conference's men's and women' titles since 1987. The Rock men's track team had not won the league title since 2000.

"You win with good students,"Papa said. "Ultimately, that's how you do your best."

Women's tennis coach Matt Meredith is also the athletic department's academic coordinator.

"A lot of positive things are happening,"Meredith said of Rock athletics. "It was a hard thing to go through, working toward (Title IX)compliance, but now we're headed in the right direction.

Meredith's men's tennis team was one of the sports cut by SRUto meet Title IXcompliance.

"Those kids came here for an education and they'll be graduating," Meredith said. "That means a lot to me.

"I'm in contact with all of our coaches and we keep tabs on our athletes. If they need help, we make sure they get it in the form of study tables or tutors."

Football coach George Mihalik described the Dixon Trophy as "a definite honor and history being made at The Rock."

"When you add the Dixon Cup and the number of scholar athletes we have, that's the total package right there,"Mihalik said. "That's what you strive for: success on the field and in the classroom."