Men's Track and Field | 6/9/2026 11:05:00 AM

New Orleans, La. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has captured the 2025-26 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Men's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Al Carius Program of the Year standings, the organization announced Tuesday. 

It marks the seventh time UW-La Crosse has earned the recognition, including third straight. The Eagles also captured the award in 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2023-24 and 2024-25.  UW-La Crosse has finished second on four occasions (2008-09, 2009-10, 2015-16, 2022-23). UW-La Crosse has also finished third twice (2011-12, 2017-18), fourth (2018-19) and eighth (2021-22).  

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 with 4.0 points this year after winning their second consecutive NCAA III Cross Country Championship, their third straight NCAA III Outdoor Title along with a National Runner-up finish at the NCAA III Indoor Championships. SUNY Geneseo placed second in this year's standings with 13 points while Wartburg College (Iowa) was third with 19 and UW-Eau Claire fourth with 36. 

UW-La Crosse's seven USTFCCCA Program of the Year Awards are the most in NCAA Division III history. North Central College (Ill.) has won five titles (2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2017-18, 2018-19). UW-Oshkosh won the first USTFCCCA Program of the Year Award in 2008-09.  UW-Eau Claire (2015-16) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2022-23) have also captured the award.  

The Al Carius Program of the Year Award is named after USTFCCCA Hall of Fame inductee and long-time North Central College (Ill.) head coach Al Carius.