New Orleans, La. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse finished third in the 2021-22 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year Award standings, the organization announced Tuesday.  

The USTFCCCA Program of the Year Award is bestowed annually to the most outstanding cross country/track & field programs in each of the NCAA's three divisions and for each gender.  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 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 recipient.  Ties among schools split points for positions taken.

UW-La Crosse finished 15.0 points in this year's standings.  The Eagles placed 11th at the 2021 NCAA Division III Cross Country championships and second at the 2022 NCAA III indoor championships and outdoor national championships.  

Johns Hopkins University (Md.) captured the 2021-22 USTFCCCA Women's Program of the Year Award with 8.5 points. Johns Hopkins (Md.) won the national cross country title while finishing fourth at the indoor track & field championships and third outdoors. Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) was second with 13.5 points.

UW-La Crosse has finished a school-best second on three (2008-09, 2014-15, 2015-16) occasions.  The Eagles were also third in 2013-14 and placed fourth in 2012-13.  UW-La Crosse was eighth in 2009-10, 10th in 2018-19, 11th in 2016-17 and 13th in 2017-18.

Washington (Mo.) has won the four (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19) USTFCCCA Program of the Year Awards.  Wartburg College (Iowa) has also won four (2008-09, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14) titles.  Massachusetts Institute of Technology has won two (2010-11, 2014-15) awards while UW-Oshkosh has won one (2009-10).  The award was established in 2008-09. 

The USTFCCCA NCAA Division III Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year Award is named after USTFCCCA Hall of Famer and former UW-Oshkosh women's head cross country and track & field coach Deb Vercauteren.