Thursday, May 31, 2018

NEW ORLEANS – It should come as no surprise that Alaska Anchorage and Western Oregon are among the top cross country and track and field programs in Division II.

The U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) quantified that fact on Thursday as the two programs were ranked in the top-five of the coaches organization’s NCAA Division II Programs of the Year awards.

The Alaska Anchorage women finished fourth among teams in competition for the USTFCCCA Jerry Baltes Division II Women’s Program of the Year Award. The Western Oregon men finished fifth among teams in the Damon Martin Division II Men’s Program of the Year Award.

Scoring for the awards is based on each team’s scoring at NCAA Division II Championships in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field. Teams are awarded a point for each place (i.e. 1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points, 31st = 31 points) with the lowest score for all three championships combined determining the award recipient. Only teams that qualified for all three national championships are considered.

Alaska Anchorage finished fourth in the women’s rankings with 32.5 points while the Simon Fraser women finished 11th with 79.5 points. Western Oregon was fifth in the men’s rankings with 41 points.

The Seawolves’ women had another banner season on the national stage. They opened the year by placing fifth at the Division II Cross Country Championships, led by an individual national-championship run for Caroline Kurgat. Alaska Anchorage finished 17th at the Indoor Track and Field National Championships, buoyed by Danielle McCormick’s national title in the 800 meters. The Seawolves finished the year by tying for eighth place at the Outdoor Track and Field National Championships, led by national titles by Kurgat in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

The Western Oregon men finished 21st at the Division II Cross Country Championships and was paced by a 30th place individual finish by David Ribich. The Wolves went on to tie for sixth place at the Indoor Track & Field Championships, a performance buoyed by a national title by Dustin Nading in the mile and a repeat title for the distance medley relay team. Western Oregon wrapped up with a 13th place finish at the Outdoor Track and Field Championships, led by a repeat title in the 1,500 meters by Ribich.

Adams State won the Jerry Baltes Program of the Year award for women, finishing with 11.5 points thanks to a national title in cross country and fifth place finishes in both track championships. Grand Valley State won the Damon Martin Program of the Year Award for men with 13.5 points, posting top-six finishes in all three championships.