NEW ORLEANS, La. – For the second-straight year, the Washington University in St. Louis women's track and field and cross country program has been tabbed the 2024 Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year, announced on Tuesday afternoon by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
WashU totaled 16 points to win the honor while MIT finished behind the Bears with 19 points and Chicago had 19.5 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 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 winner. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.
WashU is coming off a 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Outdoor Track and Field national title, won on May 25. Senior
Emma Kelley won the 400m and 800m individual national crowns and was part of the 4x400 relay with teammates
Kylie Spytek,
Cate Christopher and
Danielle Schultz. Junior
Yasmin Ruff claimed the national title in the pole vault as well, just the second in outdoor program history.
The Bears also had a stellar indoor season, finishing as the national runner-up. Kelley led the Bears with a national championship in the 800m, setting a new Division III all-time record in the process. Ruff was the pole vault runner-up and in total, the Bears earned 19 All-America honors.
In cross country, WashU finished 13
th overall at the national championship race.
Alexandra Blake earned All-America honors for the first time in her career.
Of the 14 times this award has been given out since its inception in 2008-09, the Bears have won six times (excluding 2019-20 and 2020-21 when the award was not given due to COVID-19). WashU won it in 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
