USTFCCCA NCAA DI Program of the Year Standings – 2023 Mid-Year Update

NEW ORLEANS – Two down. One to go.

With two of the three NCAA Championships in the books – cross country and indoor track & field (in the right order this year) – it’s time to look at the standings for the John McDonnell Men’s Program of the Year Award and the Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year Award.

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 the NCAA Championships.

In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the NCAA Championships. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each NCAA Championship in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field (i.e. 1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points … 31st = 31 points) with the lowest total score for all three championships combined determining the award winner. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.

Men’s Story

Two familiar foes are close again at the front of the pack.

Just two points separate Oklahoma State (8.5) and Northern Arizona (10.5) in a race to earn a first John McDonnell Men’s Program of the Year award. The Lumberjacks prevailed over the Cowboys in a memorable cross country championships back in November by a virtue of a tiebreaker, while OSU moved into the POY lead by virtue of a higher finish (sixth vs. ninth) at last weekend’s indoor track & field championships.

The closest each program has come to winning this award? NAU was third last year and in 2009-10, while Oklahoma State was second in 2013-14. In the event of a tie, the program that finishes higher head-to-head in all three championships will earn the award.

The next three programs in the current standings – BYU (15.5), Washington (18) and Wisconsin (22) – are also in pursuit of a first-ever John McDonnell Men’s Program of the Year trophy. Indoor T&F champion and three-time POY winner Arkansas, whose late Hall-of-Fame coach is the namesake of this honor, is currently sixth with 24 POY points, just ahead of last year’s winner, Texas (24.5).

Women’s Story

NC State’s lead to win the Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year is four points over Alabama, 7 to 11. The Wolfpack won the cross country title in November and finished sixth at the recent indoor track & field championships, while the Crimson Tide were third in cross country and tied for seventh indoors.

Another four points back is Notre Dame (15), who are two points up on Stanford (17) as the top four programs are seeking a first-ever Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year honor. The Irish have identical seventh-place finishes both in cross country and indoors, while the Cardinal posted a podium showing indoors after taking 13th in cross country.

Currently in fifth is Arkansas – last year’s winners of this award and champions at the indoor track & field championships – with 22 POY points.