The University of Southern Indiana men’s cross country/track & field program is ranked fifth in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association Damon Martin Program of the Year standings.
The Program of the Year Award is given annually to the most outstanding cross country/track & field programs. It 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. first = one point, second = two points, etc.) with the lowest total score for all three championships combined determining the award recipient. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.
After posting a 13th-place finish at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in November, the Screaming Eagles followed by tying for 13th at the NCAA II Indoor Track & Field Championships.
USI’s 26.5 points in the updated standings are six behind fourth-place Missouri Southern State University, while being a single point ahead of sixth-place Colorado State University-Pueblo.
Leading the way Is Adams State University with five points, while Grand Valley State University and the Academy of Art
The Eagles finished fourth in the Program of the Year standings a year ago and were third in 2013-14. USI was 11th in 2012-13.
USI opens the outdoor season March 24 when it competes at the Bill Smith Challenge in Vincennes, Indiana.
Shawn Chambers
