Dordt University sits atop the standings for the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCA) NAIA Jack Hazen (Men’s) Track and Field / Cross Country Program of the Year following the completion of the indoor season.
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 & field and outdoor track & field seasons) based on the institution’s finish at the NAIA Championships.
In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the NAIA Championships. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each NAIA 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 winner. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.
Through two of the three seasons, Dordt has a total of four points and leads second place Indiana Wesleyan by four. The Defenders won the cross country national championship (1 point) last fall and followed with a third place finish at the indoor track and field championships earlier this month (3 points). The third and final championship, the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field, will be held from May 24-26 at Wildcat Stadium in Marion, Ind.
Rounding out the top five are Milligan (Tenn.), the runner-up from the fall cross country season, The Master’s (Calif.) and Grace (Ind.). Dordt is the only cross country / track and field combined program from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) ranked in the top 25.
Dordt finished fourth in the overall program of the years standings last year. The Defenders cross country team is coached by Nate Wolf and their track program is led by head coach Craig Heynen.
