Oregon Women Named National Program of the Year
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is honored to announce the University of Oregon, as the winners of the Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year Award for the 2009-2010 school year. On the heels of the NCAA Indoor Track & Field team title, the Oregon women notched their second-consecutive program of the year nod.
The Ducks wrapped the 2009-10 season with a second-place national finish at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships last weekend at their home track in Eugene. Scoring 57 points, and claiming event championships in the 4×400-meter relay and the heptathlon, Oregon was 17 points clear of Florida in third place.
During the indoor season, Oregon scored 61 team points at the NCAA Championships to claim their first NCAA team title in besting nearest-competitor Tennessee by 25. Once again it was the Ducks’ 4×400-meter relay and a combined event national crown by Brianne Theisen that helped UO carry the day.
Oregon was ninth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, led by a top-20 individual finish by freshman Jordan Hasay.
“We would like to thank the USTFCCCA for honoring the Oregon teams as the John McDonnell Men’s Program of the Year and the Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year,” said Vin Lananna, Oregon’s Associate Athletic Director and Director of Track & Field. “The athletes, coaches, support staff and the University of Oregon are proud and humbled to accept this honor on behalf of a community that loves our sport and the athletes who run, jump and throw.”
The Oregon men also captured their second-straight John McDonnell Men’s Program of the Year honor.
Oregon’s women with 12 points (9 XC, 1 ITF, 2 OTF) was pressured by Florida who notched just 14 points (7 XC, 4 ITF, 3 OTF) during the season. Florida was seventh at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships, marking their first top-10 national finish in program history with sophomore Rebecca Lowe (14th overall) and Charlotte Browning (21st overall) leading the way. At the indoor track & field championships, Browning would win the national crown in the mile run while Mariam Kevkhisvili gave the Gators another NCAA championship with the shot. Again it was Browning (1500m) and Kevkhishvili (SP) that won national crowns outdoors. In addition, Evelien Dekkers was the 2010 javelin national champion.
Penn State with 31 points (14 XC, 13 ITF, 4 OTF) nipped Florida State (31½) for third place in the program of the year standings. Bridget Franek’s steeplechase win helped the Nittany Lions to a fourth-place showing at the outdoor championships, their second “trophy” finish in three years.
In total, 17 squads participated and scored in each of the three national championships. Four of those, Oregon, Arizona, Stanford, and Washington, came from the Pac-10 and four, Penn State, Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio State, came from the Big Ten.
NCAA Cross Country champions Villanova finished ninth in the standings, adding a tie for 17th during the indoor season and a tie for 41st at the outdoor championships.
The Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year Award is named after USTFCCCA Hall of Famer and former Cal Poly head coach Terry Crawford. Crawford has won five NCAA National Championships, and over 20 Conference Championships. Her 1986 Texas squad remains as the only NCAA women’s program to ever win the Triple Crown (cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field titles).
The Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding NCAA Division I women’s cross country/track & field program. 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 Division I 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 Division I 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.
Updated 06-16-2010
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