USTFCCCA RELEASE |
PROGRAM OF THE YEAR STANDINGS
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its Jerry Baltes NCAA Division II Women's Program of the Year standings on Tuesday, and the Lee University Lady Flames claimed an eighth-place finish.
The USTFCCCA Program of the Year Award honors the institution that has achieved the most success in each academic year (spanning the cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons) based on the institution's finish at their respective Championships.
In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the Championships. Scoring is based on the team's finish at each Championship in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field with the lowest total score for all three championships combined determining the award winner. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.
The Lady Flames finished ninth at the Cross Country Championships in the fall and tied for 21
st in the Indoor Track & Field Championships in March. Last month, the Lee women tied for 29
th at the Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The program tallied nine points in cross country, 21.5 points for indoor and 29 points for outdoor to amass 59.5 points. Lewis placed just ahead of Lee with 46.5 points while Wingate scored 63 points to finish behind Lee at 10
th.
Adams State scored seven points to become the Jerry Baltes Women's Program of the Year. Grand Valley State was one point behind in second and West Texas A&M was third with 13 points.
Director of Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track & Field Caleb Morgan's thoughts:
"We take pride in running a well-rounded program. Balancing cross country and track is no easy task and building competitive teams in both can be challenging. Finishing in the top 8 nationally shows our commitment to excellence across the board. I'm incredibly thankful for this amazing group of women who not only value each other but also respect what each group contributes to the team."
