UW-Oshkosh Captures NCAA Program Of The Year Award
The United States Track & Field and
Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has named UW-Oshkosh
as its 2009-10 winner of the NCAA Division III Deb Vercauteren
Women's Program of the Year Award.
UW-Oshkosh earned the prize after finishing second at both the
NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship held March
12-13 in Greencastle, Ind., and NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and
Field Championship held May 27-29 in Berea, Ohio, and 13th at the
NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship held Nov. 21 in
Highland Hills, Ohio.
UW-Oshkosh won this year's award with 17 points, while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finished second with 18. The Engineers placed third at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship, fifth at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship and 10th at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship.
Rounding out the top five listings were third-place Calvin College (Mich.) with 19 points, fourth-place Wartburg College (Iowa) with 21 and fifth-place St. Lawrence University (N.Y.) and Williams College (Mass.) with 26.5. Wartburg College won last year's inaugural competition with six points, while UW-Oshkosh finished fourth with 23.
The NCAA Division III Deb Vercauteren Program of
the Year Award is named after USTFCCCA Hall of Famer and legendary
UW-Oshkosh cross country and track and field coach Deb Vercauteren.
The award honors the institution that achieved the most success
while competing at national meets in the sports of cross country,
indoor track and field and outdoor track and field.
In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each
of the three NCAA Division III championship meets. Scoring is based
on each team’s finish, with one point going to first place
and two to second. The lowest combined score for all three
championships determines the award winner.
North Central College (Ill.) was the winner of the NCAA Division III Al Carius Men's Program of the Year Award.