NEW ORLEANS, La. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's and women's cross country and track & field teams each garnered top-15 finishes in the 2023-24 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Program of the Year final standings that were released on Tuesday afternoon. The UCCS women's team secured 10^th place in the standings with 72.5 points while the Mountain Lion men's team finished the season in 13^th place with 88.5 points.
 
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 finishes at the NCAA 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 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 result in split points for positions taken.
 
The USTFCCCA Program of the Year award was introduced during the 2008-09 season. The honor was not awarded during the 2019-20 or 2020-21 seasons due to COVID-19.
 
The Mountain Lions were one of just nine NCAA Division II institutions to have both their men's and women's programs finish inside the top-15 of the 2023-24 USTFCCCA Program of the Year final standings. The 2023-24 campaign also marks the third consecutive season that the UCCS cross country and track & field programs have accomplished the feat of having both their men's and women's teams ranked in the top-15.
 
The UCCS women's cross country and track & field program cemented their spot inside the top-15 of the USTFCCCA Program of the Year final standings for the fifth consecutive publication of the award, earning a 10^th place finish for the 2023-24 season with 72.5 points. The UCCS women's cross country team got the action started during the fall semester as they secured an at-large bid to the national meet as a team and went on to earn a 12^th place finish at the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. The Mountain Lion women continued to impress as the calendar turned to indoor track & field season as they qualified ten student-athletes for the indoor national championship meet and proceeded to tie for 22^nd place at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in Pittsburg, Kan. UCCS finished the academic year by qualifying eight student-athletes for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, where they tied for 34^th place.
 
The 2023-24 academic year was another strong for the UCCS men's cross country and track & field team as they secured their third consecutive appearance inside the top-15 of the USTFCCCA Program of the Year final standings with 88.5 points. The Mountain Lion men's cross country team started the campaign off with a 19^th place finish at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships after earning an at-large bid to compete in the national meet. Moving to the indoor track & field season, UCCS qualified seven student-athletes to compete at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, where they combined to score 15 points and finish in a tie for 14^th place overall. The men's program rounded out the year with three student-athletes qualifying to compete at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, where the team finished in a tie for 52^nd place.
 
USTFCCCA Program of the Year Historical Finishes (Women)
2017-18 - 7th, 61.5 points
2018-19 - 5th, 37.5 points
2021-22 - T8th, 50.5 points
2022-23 - 14th, 91.5 points
2023-24 – 10th, 72.15 points
*USTFCCCA did not announce Program of the Year awards during the 2019-20 or 2020-21 seasons due to COVID-19.
 
USTFCCCA Program of the Year Historical Finishes (Men)
2021-22 - 7th, 43 points
2022-23 - 10th, 59 points
2023-24 - 13th, 88.5 points
 
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