USTFCCCA NAIA Program of the Year – 2023 Final Update

NEW ORLEANS – A first-time winner and a repeat winner.

That briefly describes the programs topping the final standings for the 2022-23 NAIA Program of the Year.

Dordt (Iowa) earned its very first Jack Hazen Men’s Program of the Year honor, while Huntington (Ind.) won its second Fred Beile 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 NAIA Championships.

In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the NAIA Championships. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each NAIA 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

Dordt (Iowa) earned men’s top honors with 9 points. The Defenders moved up from last year’s fourth place (their previous program high, which they also achieved in 2019) with three top-5 finishes – winning the cross country title before finishing third in indoor track & field and fifth outdoors.

Indiana Wesleyan was runner-up with 17.5 points. It’s a third-straight runner-up finish for the Wildcats after winning the award in 2019. They were top-10 in all three sports – fourth in cross county and indoors before tying for eighth outdoors.

In third was The Master’s (Calif.) with 25 POY points. The Mustangs made the final standings for the first time since the award began in 2015-16, starting in the fall with a third in cross country and following with a 10^th indoors and 12^th outdoors.

Rounding out the top-5 were Southeastern (Fla.) with 33 POY points and Westmont (Calif.) with 39.5. The Fire improved their program high from an 8^th in 2020-21, winning the indoor title in between a 29^th in cross country and a third outdoors. The Warriors also reached a program high (previous 8^th in 2019) by tying for 8^th outdoors after 17^th– and 13^th-place finishes in cross country and indoors, respectively.

Women’s Story

This was a close competition as just one point separated the top two programs, with third place just another 1.5 points behind.

Huntington (Ind.) returned to the top spot it first earned in 2021. The Foresters scored 21 POY points, starting in the fall with a 13^th-place finish in cross country before being runner-up in indoor track & field and placing 6^th outdoors.

William Carey (Miss.) set a program high in second place with 22 points (up from their previous best of 14^th in 2019). The Crusaders finished the year as runner-up in outdoor track & field after a 17^th-place finish in cross country and a third indoors.

Indiana Tech was in a close race for the second year in a row, finishing with 23.5 POY points. The Warriors – second last year by just two points – won the indoor title, tied for fourth outdoors and were 18^th in cross country.

Matching a program high in fourth was College of Idaho with 28 points (they were also fourth in 2015-16, the award’s inaugural year). The Yotes were third in cross country, tied for 15^th indoors and tied for eighth outdoors. The Master’s (Calif.) reached a program-high fifth place with 44 POY points (improving on their 10^th-place from last year). The Mustangs were sixth in cross country, tied for 19^th indoors and placed 17^th outdoors.