NEW ORLEANS – The US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released the Program of the Year standings with the BYU men's program ranked at No. 3 and the women's program at No. 5.
“It speaks to the commitment and strength of the women’s and men’s squads,” BYU head coach Ed Eyestone said. “You have to start well in the fall to even be considered for the award because you have to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships. You might have a great track team, but that won’t matter if you don’t have a good cross country team.”
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 and field, and outdoor track and field seasons) based on the institution’s finish at the three NCAA Championships.
The BYU men’s program is coming off its best finish at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships since 2011 after tying for 13th place with Texas and Arkansas. The Cougars began the academic year with their best finish in program history at the 2018 NCAA Cross Country Championships as the National Runner-ups. The two finishes combine for 15 points which trail only Stanford (9.5 points) and Wisconsin (12.5 points).
The BYU women’s program finished 14th overall at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships for its best team-finish since 2012. The Cougars took seventh place at the NCAA Cross Country Championships this past fall. The women’s program’s 21 points trail Oregon (6 points), New Mexico (7 points), Arkansas (15 points) and Stanford (17.5 points).
Along with the Program of the Year standings, the USTFCCCA officially released the All-Americans from the 2019 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Nine Cougars from the BYU track and field program were named to All-America teams.
On the men’s team, Clayton Young was named a first-team All-American in both the men’s 3000m (sixth place) and 5000m (third place). Connor McMillan received first-team All-America honors in the 5000m (fourth place) and second-team honors in the 3000m (11th place). Conner Mantz rounded out the trio of men’s competitors being named a first-team All-American in the 3000m (seventh place) and second-team All-American in the 5000m (10th place).
On the women’s team, Andrea Stapleton-Johnson received first-team All-America honors in the high jump (eighth place). Erica Birk-Jarvis was named a first-team All-American in the 3000m (fifth place) and distance medley relay (second place). Along with Birk-Jarvis, Anna Camp-Bennett, Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes and Brenna Porter received first-team All-America honors for running on the distance medley relay team (second place). Whittni Orton was named a second-team All-American in the mile (12th place).
The full USTFCCCA Program of the Year standings and All-America release can be found on ustfccca.org.