USTFCCCA Release
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John’s University led the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) with an 11th-place finish in the inaugural NCAA Division III Al Carius Men’s Program of the Year Award presented by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Monday, June 1.
The Al Carius Program of the Year Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding NCAA Division III men’s cross country/track & field program. 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 Division III Championships.
In order to be eligible for the award teams must qualify for the NCAA Championships. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each NCAA Division III 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.
The Johnnies finished 22nd in cross country last fall, tied for 25th at March’s indoor meet and tied for 44th at the outdoor meet in May to record 95 points. Wisconsin-Oshkosh earned the trophy with a total of 11.5 points after claiming indoor and outdoor titles this year. The Titans also finished ninth at the cross country national championships. Wisconsin-La Crosse finished second with 12.5 points, followed by Wisconsin-Stevens Point (38.5), Whitworth, Wash. (40.5) and North Central, Ill. (41).
Tim Miles completed his 30th season as head coach of both the cross country and track and field teams in 2008-09. Miles has produced a winning track and field program that has finished among the MIAC's top two squads in 20 of the past 29 seasons, including MIAC championships in 1997, 1999, 2005 and 2007. At the national level, Miles' athletes have put together 56 Division III All-America performances since 1980. In cross country, Miles has produced a winning program that has finished among the MIAC's top two squads in 22 of the past 30 seasons, including nine MIAC titles (1981, 1982, 1983, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2006 and 2007). He has had 22 cross country teams qualify for the national meet, with 17 recording top-15 finishes.