Full Standings
NEW ORLEANS, La. – For the first time in program history, the Embry-Riddle men's cross country and track & field programs earned a place in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA II Program of the Year Standings. The Eagle men were listed 16th on the year-end standings released on Thursday.
Embry-Riddle placed 29th at the NCAA II Cross Country National Championships in the fall and followed up with a 57th-place result at the NCAA II Indoor Track & Field National Championships and was 43rd at the NCAA II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.
The Blue and Gold also captured the Sunshine State Conference Cross Country title as well as the NCAA II South Region championship in the fall, and followed up with its second straight Peach Belt Conference Track & Field crown in the spring.
The USTFCCCA Program of the Year Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding cross country/track & field programs in each of the NCAA's three divisions, the NAIA and for each gender in those levels. The 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 or NAIA Championships.
In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the NCAA or NAIA Championships. Scoring is based on the team's finish at each NCAA or 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 recipient. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.
The Grand Valley State men's program took the top spot for the second consecutive year. Adams State, Queens (N.C.), Colorado State – Pueblo, and Western Colorado rounded out the top five. Embry-Riddle was the only school to represent the South region among the 17 schools that earned a spot in the rankings.
