FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Final 2011-2012 Program of the Year Standings

May 31, 2012-- The Al Carius Program of the Year Award will continue to reside in Naperville as the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced its Program of the Year award winners for NCAA Division III on Wednesday with the North Central College men's program capturing the honor for the third consecutive season.

The Cardinals blew away the field in 2011-2012, scoring seven points after winning the NCAA Division III cross country national championship in November while winning the indoor track & field championships in March and placing fifth at the outdoor national championships last weekend. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh was second with 12 points with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse finishing third with 21.5 points. Bates College (40 points) and Wabash College (43.5) rounded out the top five.

The Al Carius Program of the Year Award, created in 2008, 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.

This is the third straight season the Cardinals claim the award. North Central won the honor in 2010-2011 with four points after winning both track national titles and placing runner-up in cross country while completing the triple crown (national titles in cross country, indoor track & outdoor track) during the 2009-2010 academic year.

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 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. Ties among schools split points for positions taken. During the 2011-2012 academic year, just 13 schools competed in all three championships.

The award is named in honor of longtime North Central College coach Al Carius, who in his 46th year has guided the Cardinals to unparalleled success, winning 21 National Championships (14 cross country, 5 outdoor track, 2 indoor track) as head coach and three more as associate head coach (2 indoor track and 1 outdoor track).

Carius has been named the NCAA Division III Cross Country Coach of the Year seven times (1993, 95, 97, 98, 99, 09, 11) and in 2006 was inducted into the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame.