Division I Cross Country Handbook

Navigation

• Committee Structure
• Committees
• Meetings
  • Voting
  • Conference Calls
  • Special Meetings
• Rankings
• National Polls
  • Poll Dates
• Awards

Current Association Contacts

• USTFCCCA Board of Directors
• National Office Staff
• Division I Cross Country Executive Committee and National Poll Voters

Committee Structure

Division I Cross Country Officers

• General Eligibility Requirements:
  • Only qualified members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA may be nominated for, elected to, appointed to, or serve in any office of Division I Cross Country.
• Number of In-Person Meetings per Year:
  • Division I Cross Country Officers meet once per year, at the USTFCCCA annual convention.
• Number of Conference Calls per Year:
  • Division I Cross Country Officers participate in eleven (11) regularly scheduled conference calls per year. Currently, Division I Cross Country conference calls are scheduled the second Wednesday of the months of January through November. Special conference calls may be scheduled by the President at any time during the year, as needed.

• President
  • Selection: A rotation system moves the Vice President up to the office of President as the office of President is vacated.
  • Term: Three (3) year term.
  • Duties:
    • Preside over all general, special, or annual meetings.
    • Ensure meetings are called in a timely manner to conduct the Association’s business.
    • Establish Division I Cross Country working committees as needed.
    • Appoint committee members.
    • Appoint the Secretary and any vacancy on the Executive Committee.
    • Serve as an ad-hoc member of all Division I Cross Country committees.
    • Vote in the National Coaches Poll. Act as the Division I Cross Country Representative before the NCAA.
      • Assist in lobbying the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country Committee on issues of importance to Division I Cross Country.
    • Act as the Division I Cross Country representative before the USTFCCCA and serve on the USTFCCCA Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may meet in-person twice per year:
      • In the summer
      • In the winter during the USTFCCCA annual convention
    • Establish the agenda for and conduct periodic conference calls with the Executive Committee, including Regional Representatives, regarding Associational business.
    • Establish the agenda for in-person meetings of Division I Cross Country.
    • Attend the Division I Cross Country National Championships.
    • Present USTFCCCA awards at the Saturday NCAA Division I Cross Country Banquet.
    • Perform any other duty as may be necessary to carry out the directives of the Division I Cross Country Operating Bylaws and the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the USTFCCCA.

• Vice President
  • Selection: Candidates for Vice President are nominated by the Nominations and Election Committee and elected at the annual general meeting.
  • Every effort should be made to alternate the gender of the incoming Vice President.
  • A plurality is required for election.
  • Term: Three (3) year term.
  • Duties:
    • Perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
    • Chair the Division I Cross Country Poll Committee.
    • Vote in the National Coaches Poll.
    • Attend the Division I Cross Country annual general meeting and any other scheduled Executive Committee meetings.
    • Participate in Division I Cross Country Executive Committee conference calls, as established by the President.
    • Carry out any other duties the President may from time to time assign.

• Secretary
  • Selection: Appointed by the President.
  • Term: Continuing.
  • Duties:
    • Keep a true record of the proceedings of all meetings of the Association.
    • Ensure that proper notice of all meetings is sent to all members.
    • Ensure notification of all members of any committee appointments or duties assigned to them.
    • Be knowledgeable in matters of parliamentary procedure and advise the other Officers or members in such matters.
    • Keep an election schedule approved by the Executive Committee for the election of Officers, At-Large Representatives, and Regional Representatives.
    • Chair the Division I Cross Country Law and Legislation Committee.
    • Update the Division I Cross Country Operating Bylaws as needed.
    • Attend the Division I Cross Country annual general meeting and any other scheduled Executive Committee meetings.
    • Participate in Division I Cross Country Executive Committee conference calls, as established by the President.
    • Carry out any other duties the President may from time to time assign.

Other Members of the Division I Cross Country Executive Committee

• General Eligibility Requirements: Only qualified members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA may be nominated for, elected to, appointed to, or serve in any office of Division I Cross Country.
• Number of In-Person Meetings per Year: Division I Cross Country Executive Committee members meet once per year, at the USTFCCCA annual convention.
• Number of Conference Calls per Year: Division I Cross Country Executive Committee members participate in eleven (11) regularly-scheduled conference calls per year. Currently, Division I Cross Country conference calls are scheduled for the second Wednesday of the months of January through November. Special conference calls may be scheduled by the President at any time during the year, as needed.

• Regional Representatives
  • Number: One (1) per NCAA Division I Cross Country region per program gender (18 total)
  • Selection: Elected at the annual USTFCCCA convention. They may be appointed as needed to fill a vacancy by the President.
  • Term:
    • Three (3) year terms such that no more than four (4) men’s and four (4) women’s representatives (At-Large and Regional Representatives) are replaced in any one year.
    • The terms of the men’s and women’s representatives within each region shall not expire in the same year.
    • Region reps may not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
    • A plurality of votes is required for election.
  • Duties:
    • Represent their region on the Executive Committee.
    • Attend the Division I Cross Country annual general meeting and any other Executive Committee meetings.
    • Serve on the Division I Cross Country Poll Committee.
    • Participate in Division I Cross Country Executive Committee conference calls, as established by the President.
    • Conduct regional Coaches meetings as necessary.
      • Prepare an agenda for regional Coaches meetings as necessary.
      • Ensure that the regional meeting agenda is distributed to the respective region’s Coaches prior to the meeting.
        • Keep a true record of the proceedings of respective regional meetings.
        • Ensure that the minutes of respective regional meetings are distributed to the Coaches in the region.
        • Forward agenda items and minutes of regional meetings to the President, Secretary, and National Office.
    • Submit rankings during the Cross Country season for men’s or women’s Cross Country in their region (top 15), as per the schedule established by the Poll Committee, and vote in the men’s or women’s National Coaches Poll. For procedures, see the Regional Rankings and National Polls sections of this document.
    • Send a “Call for Nominations” 30-45 days before the annual meeting when pending vacancies exist.
    • Notify regional members of the nominees for vacant positions a minimum of five (5) days before the annual meeting.
    • Conduct elections to fill Regional Representative vacancies at the USTFCCCA annual meeting.
    • Carry out any other duties the President may from time to time assign.

• At-Large Representatives
  • Number: One (1) per Division I Cross Country program gender (two (2) total)
  • Selection:
    • Elected at the annual USTFCCCA convention.
    • A plurality of votes is required for election.
    • They may be appointed as needed to fill a vacancy by the President.
  • Term:
    • Three (3) year terms.
    • The terms of the men’s and women’s representatives shall not expire in the same year.
    • At-Large representatives may not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
  • Duties:
    • Represent either men’s or women’s Division I Cross Country programs on the Executive Committee.
    • Serve on the Division I Cross Country Law and Legislation Committee.
    • Serve on the Division I Cross Country Nominations and Election Committee.
    • Attend the Division I Cross Country annual general meeting and any other Executive Committee meetings.
    • Participate in Division I Cross Country Executive Committee conference calls, as established by the President.
    • Carry out any other duties the President may from time to time assign.

• Past President
  • Selection: The most recent outgoing President serves in the role of Past President.
  • Term: Three (3) year term.
  • Duties:
    • Work with the President as an advisor.
    • b. Attend the Division I Cross Country annual general meeting and any other Executive Committee meetings.
    • Participate in Division I Cross Country Executive Committee conference calls, as established by the President.
    • Serve as chair of the Division I Cross Country Nominations and Election Committee.
    • Carry out any other duties the President may from time to time assign.

• Poll Coordinator (non-voting)
  • Number: One (1)
  • Selection: Appointed by the President.
  • Term: Not applicable.
  • Duties:
    • Coordinate and conduct the weekly national Coaches’ poll for Division I Men’s or Women’s Cross Country during the Division I Cross Country season.
    • Provide the results of the poll to the President and to the National Office for release.
    • Participate in Division I Cross Country Executive Committee conference calls, as established by the President.
    • Attend the Division I Cross Country annual general meeting.
    • Carry out any other duties the President may from time to time assign.
  • Stipend:
    • A stipend [$1000] plus travel expenses to the USTFCCCA annual convention will be paid to the Poll Coordinator.
      • No stipends will be paid to any other Division I Cross Country Executive Committee members.

Division 1 Cross County Committees

Law and Legislation Committee

• Chair: Secretary
• Members: Men’s and Women’s At-Large Representatives
• Duties:
  • Review, interpret, and maintain the Operating Bylaws of the Association.
  • At the annual meeting, present to the Executive Committee prepared materials regarding proposed amendments to the Operating Bylaws.
• Meetings:
  • The Committee meets by teleconference prior to the USTFCCCA annual meeting and at the direction of the President or the Committee Chair.
  • Conference call and/or e-mail communication may be necessary throughout the year.

Nominations and Election Committee

• Chair: Past President
• Members: Men’s and Women’s At-Large Representatives
• Duties:
  • Develop, evaluate, and bring forth qualified candidates to present for a vote to the Qualified Membership of the Association at the annual convention.
  • Solicit individual members who possess exceptional skills and attributes that would enable them to carry out the goals and mission of the Association and the USTFCCCA.
  • Determine procedure for voting and eligibility of candidates for election.
  • Nominate candidates for the positions of Vice President and Men’s and Women’s At-Large Representatives as needed.
• Meetings:
  • The Committee meets as necessary to fill Division I Cross Country vacancies and at the direction of the President or the Committee Chair.

Poll Committee

• Chair: Vice President
• Members: Poll Coordinator and all Regional Representatives. Additional members appointed by the President as needed.
• Duties:
  • Determine regional and national poll release dates.
  • Analyze previous year’s poll methodology and make improvements as necessary.
  • Determine the poll methodology for each Division I Cross Country season.
• Meetings:
  • The committee meets at the direction of the President or the Committee Chair.
  • Conference call and/or e-mail communication may be necessary throughout the year.

Working Committees

The President may establish committees to study topics or perform specific duties. These committees may be established at any time throughout the year and may remain intact until their charge has been accomplished. Such committees shall have the authority to make recommendations and carry out any directives issued by the President and/or Executive Committee.

Division 1 Cross Country Meetings

Purpose
The USTFCCCA Convention serves as the annual business meeting for USTFCCCA Division I Cross Country.

Attendance Requirement
Attendance at the convention/annual meeting is mandatory for all Division I Cross Country Officers, Regional Representatives, At-Large Representatives, and Poll Coordinators of the Executive Committee. Those who will not be able to attend should notify the Division I Cross Country President as soon as possible.

Business
Division I Cross Country business meetings follow the Bylaws of the USTFCCCA, the Operating Bylaws of the NCAA Division I Program Membership Divisions (Cross Country), and this handbook. When a procedural question is not defined within these documents, the Division I Cross Country business meetings follow Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Submission of Proposals
The Secretary shall ensure that proposals may be submitted online at any time, through the USTFCCCA website, and that calls for proposals are made once per quarter throughout the year.

The Division I Cross Country President shall ensure that all submitted proposals are distributed to the Executive Committee and that the submitter of each proposal is scheduled to present their proposal to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall review and discuss each proposal after it has been presented by the submitter. All proposals received on or after December 1 of each year shall not be scheduled for presentation to the Executive Committee until after January 1 of the next year.

The Executive Committee may, by majority vote, amend a submitted proposal at any time prior to taking a position on the proposal. No further amendments to the proposal may be made by either the Executive Committee or the general membership after the Executive Committee has taken a position on the proposal; however, the Executive Committee, upon a majority vote, may submit an alternate version of a proposal to the general membership for consideration. If the proposal is adopted by the general membership, the alternate version submitted by the Executive Committee will become moot.

The Executive Committee has three possible actions to take following their discussion of the proposal:

• The Division I Cross Country President may assign the proposal to a standing committee or create a committee or working group to review the proposal and provide a recommendation to the Executive Committee.
• The Executive Committee may postpone the proposal until a future meeting in order to allow more time for discussion, to gather additional information, or to gather feedback from the membership or an outside party.
• The Executive Committee may vote on the proposal (a quorum is required).

When the Executive Committee takes action on a proposal, the Secretary shall ensure that the proposal and said action are made available to the membership through the USTFCCCA web site.
Once the Executive Committee votes upon a proposal, said proposal is deemed an agenda item and will be assigned to a member(s) of the Executive Committee to present the agenda item, and the Executive Committee’s position on said proposal, to the membership. Presentation of agenda items to the membership will occur at the USTFCCCA Convention, unless the item has a response deadline prior to the next convention.

Agenda items with a response deadline prior to the next convention are those which require action prior to the next convention. Examples of such agenda items may include directives from the NCAA with a due date that falls prior to the next convention or safety issues that require immediate intervention. A majority vote of the Executive Committee members present under a quorum may move to designate an agenda item as having a response deadline prior to the next convention. The Secretary shall ensure that the agenda item requiring a response prior to the next convention and the Executive Committee’s decision is made available to the membership prior to the next Executive Committee meeting.

For all other proposals, once the Executive Committee votes upon a proposal, said proposal is deemed an agenda item and will be assigned to a member(s) of the Executive Committee to present the agenda item, and the Executive Committee’s position on said proposal, to the membership.

Once an agenda item has been presented to the membership at convention, the Division I Cross Country President shall allow for a pre-determined period of discussion on the item. If the Executive Committee had previously voted in favor of the agenda item, then said item would be placed on the voting ballot for the membership at the current Convention. If the Executive Committee voted to oppose an agenda item or takes no action on an agenda item, then the opinion of the Executive Committee stands as the position of the membership, unless the agenda item receives a motion from the floor to place the item on the voting ballot at that convention, a second, and a majority vote from members present at the meeting (vote shall be conducted by voice; if the decision of the membership is not clear then a vote shall be conducted by rising).
All proposals received prior to the final Executive Committee conference call of the calendar year to be considered at convention shall be made available to the Division I Cross Country general membership prior to the start of the convention.

Proposal Moratorium

Proposals, or proposals derived from the same philosophy, that have gone through the proposal cycle and been defeated may not be resubmitted for a period of one year.

Voting

Members of USTFCCCA Division I Cross Country must be present to vote at convention. Voting is by membership, unless the President and/or a simple majority of the Executive Committee calls for a Unit Vote.

Types

• Membership:
  • Voting is conducted by member Coach. Each Division I Coach from a program that sponsors men’s and/or women’s Cross Country, who is present at the voting session(s), receives one (1) vote. Coaches may not cast a ballot for a Coach who is absent from the official voting session(s).
• Unit Vote:
  • Voting is conducted by member program. Each institutional program receives one vote, such that a Division I men’s or women’s Cross Country program receives one (1) vote, and a Division I combined Cross Country program receives two (2) votes. Only one designated representative per member program may cast a vote. This designated representative need not be the head Coach. Coaches may not cast a ballot for institutions that have no representatives present at the official voting session(s).

Action

The Division I Cross Country President, along with the USTFCCCA national office, is responsible for ensuring that appropriate action is taken following the annual convention/business meeting, particularly as necessitated by the results of Division I Cross Country voting sessions.

Conference Calls

Purpose
Division I Cross Country conference calls serve to inform Division I Cross Country Officers, At-Large Representatives, Regional Representatives, and other members of the Executive Committee of issues affecting the Division I Cross Country membership. These calls also provide a forum for proposal presentation, discussion, and action on Division I Cross Country issues.

Schedule
Division I Cross Country scheduled conference calls take place once a month from January through November. Special conference calls may be scheduled by the President at any time during the year, as needed.

Attendance Requirement
Attendance on conference calls is mandatory for all Division I Cross Country Officers, Regional Representatives, At-Large Representatives, and Poll Coordinators. Those who will not be able to attend should notify the Division I Cross Country President and Secretary as soon as possible.

Business

Monthly conference call agendas shall be of the following format:

• Roll Call
• Proposal Presentations
• Discussion of proposals
• New Business
• Informational Items
• Announcements
• Comments from the national office

Division I Cross Country conference calls follow the Bylaws of the USTFCCCA, the Operating Bylaws of the NCAA Division I Program Membership Divisions (Cross Country), and this handbook. When a procedural question is not defined within these documents, Division I Cross Country conference calls follow Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Voting

The Executive Committee may vote during or in conjunction with a regularly scheduled or special conference call, as necessary. All members of the Executive Committee should be notified in advance of the call, and a necessary quorum of a majority of members present must be established in order for a vote to take place.

Action

The Division I Cross Country President, along with the USTFCCCA national office, is responsible for ensuring that appropriate action is taken following conference calls, particularly in preparing the agenda for the annual convention/business meeting. Regional Representatives are responsible for informing the Coaches in their region of any items discussed during conference calls that affect Division I Cross Country generally or the Coaches of their region specifically.

Special Meetings

Purpose

In addition to the regular meetings of the Association, the President or the Executive Committee by majority vote may call a Special Meeting whenever the welfare of the Association or sport of Cross Country warrants such an action.

Voting

The Executive Committee may vote during a special meeting, as necessary. All members of the Executive Committee should be notified in advance of the meeting, and a necessary quorum of a majority of committee members present must be established in order for a vote to take place.

Action

The Division I Cross Country President, along with the USTFCCCA national office, is responsible for ensuring that appropriate action is taken following special meetings. Regional Representatives are responsible for informing the Coaches in their region of any items discussed during special meetings that affect Division I Cross Country generally or the Coaches of their region specifically.

Division 1 Cross Country Rankings

Regional Rankings

Division I Cross Country regional rankings are released by the USTFCCCA national office on Mondays during the Cross Country season. Dates are predetermined by the Division I Cross Country Executive Committee. The top 15 teams in each gender and region are ranked. Only programs that are members in good standing with the USTFCCCA shall be ranked. Teams that are in transition to NCAA Division I are to be included in these rankings, as appropriate.

• Preseason Ranking
  • Released on the Monday prior to the first weekend of Division I Cross Country competition.
• Regular Rankings:
  • Released weekly on Mondays beginning ten (10) weeks prior to the Division I Cross Country Championships and ending with the Monday prior to the NCAA Regional meets (nine (9) poll dates).

Criteria

Regional Representatives determine the regional rankings for the top 15 teams in the region/gender they represent. The ranking is subjective. Teams that are in transition to NCAA Division I are to be included in these rankings, as appropriate. Regional Representatives are strongly encouraged to reach out to the coaches in their region for input on their teams.

For the final two regional rankings, rankers shall place a greater emphasis on actual results and head-to- head competition from the current season in compiling their rankings. Only programs that are members in good standing with the USTFCCCA shall be ranked.

Procedure

In early August, the national office sends out a preview form to coaches in each region to collect relevant information, including:

• Key graduates/student-athletes not returning
• Key Returners
• Key injuries
• Key new freshman/transfer/redshirts

The preview form submissions are distributed by the national office to each region’s representatives.

During the season, men’s rankings must be submitted to d1mxcpoll@ustfccca.org by 9:00 pm Central Time on Sunday prior to each Monday release. Women’s rankings must be submitted to d1wxcpoll@ustfccca.org, also by 9:00 pm Central Time on Sunday prior to each Monday release.

Note: The preseason ranking is due by Wednesday, August 19 by 12:00 noon Central Time.

Each submission should include a brief explanation of why the top five teams achieved their rankings, as well as information on any teams that moved in the rankings from the previous week. The submission must include recommendations on national rankings for teams within the region, as well as comments to inform the other voters regarding these teams.

Contact the National Office Here

National Polls

Division I Cross Country national polls are released by the USTFCCCA national office on Tuesdays during the Cross Country season. Dates are predetermined by the Division I Cross Country Executive Committee. The top 30 teams in each gender are ranked.

Only programs that are members in good standing with the USTFCCCA shall be ranked.

Preseason Poll

• Released on the Tuesday prior to the first weekend of Division I Cross Country competition.

Regular Polls

• Released weekly on Tuesdays beginning ten (10) weeks prior to the Division I Cross Country Championships and ending with the Tuesday prior to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships (ten (10) poll dates).

Division I Cross Country Officers (except the Secretary), At-Large Representatives, and Regional Representatives submit their rankings of the top 30 teams in the country, in the gender they represent, to the Division I Cross Country Poll coordinator. Only 30 teams should be ranked, and there should be no ties or half votes. Voters are not obligated to follow the order of region rankings in compiling their national ranking.

The Cross Country Officers designated to vote in the national cross country polls shall be divided into one men’s voter and one women’s voter. If one coaches a men’s program and one coaches a women’s program, then those respective coaches shall be assigned to vote for the gender they represent. If there is an imbalance amongst the voting Officers in terms of the genders they represent, it will be the responsibility of the President to appoint which Officer will vote for which gender.

Rankings must be submitted to either the poll coordinator or directly to Tom Lewis at the National Office by 12:00 noon Central Time on Monday prior to each Tuesday release. Final rankings are submitted to the national office by the men’s and women’s poll coordinators.

Note: The preseason ranking is due by Friday, August 21 by 9:00 am Central Time.

Key Dates

Division 1 Cross Country Awards

All Region

• Selection
  • Awarded to the top 25 finishers at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Regional Championships in each region and gender.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.
  • Non-eligible student-athletes in the top 25 who do not receive awards do not displace other finishers.
• Award Distribution
  • Student-athletes who qualify for the award receive an All-Region medal at the Regional Championships.
  • Two (2) All-Region certificates are mailed by the national office to the student-athlete’s program. One of these certificates should be given to the qualifying student-athlete.

Regional Coaches of the Year

• Selection
  • Selected by a vote of USTFCCCA Division I member Coaches in the respective region and awarded to one (1) Cross Country Coach per gender per region.
  • Nominees are the Coaches of the top four (4) finishing teams at each NCAA Division I Cross Country Regional Championships and a write-in.
  • Vote is conducted online via a ballot compiled by the national office.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their Coaches to be eligible for this award.
• Award Distribution
  • Awards are distributed at the NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships.

Regional Athletes of the Year

• Selection
  • Selected by a vote of USTFCCCA Division I member Coaches in the respective region and awarded to one (1) student-athlete per gender per region.
  • Nominees are the top four (4) finishers in each NCAA Division I Cross Country Regional Championships and a write-in.
  • Vote is conducted online via a ballot compiled by the national office.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.
• Award Distribution
  • Awards are distributed at the NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships.

All-America

• Selection
  • Awarded to the top 40 finishers in the men’s and women’s NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship races, without regard to citizenship.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.
  • Non-eligible student-athletes in the top 40 who do not receive awards do not displace other finishers.
• Award Distribution
  • Student-athletes who qualify for the award receive an All-American medal at the National Championships.
  • Two (2) All-American certificates are mailed by the national office to the student- athlete’s program. One of these certificates should be given to the qualifying student-athlete.

Bill Dellinger Men’s Coach of the Year

• Selection
  • Selected by a vote of USTFCCCA Division I member Coaches and awarded to one (1) men’s Cross Country Coach.
  • Nominees are the Division I Cross Country Regional Coaches of the Year, the Coach of each of the top five finishing men’s teams, and a write-in.
  • Vote is conducted online via a ballot compiled by the national office. Brief seasonal bios for each candidate are included on this ballot.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their Coaches to be eligible for this award.
• Award Distribution
  • Awards are distributed by the USTFCCCA national office.

Peter Tegen Women’s Coach of the Year

• Selection
  • Selected by a vote of USTFCCCA Division I member Coaches and awarded to one (1) women’s Cross Country Coach.
  • Nominees are the Division I Cross Country Regional Coaches of the Year, the Coach of each of the top five finishing women’s teams, and a write-in.
  • Vote is conducted online via a ballot compiled by the national office. Brief seasonal bios for each candidate are included on this ballot.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their Coaches to be eligible for this award.
• Award Distribution
  • Awards are distributed by the USTFCCCA national office.

National Athletes of the Year

• Selection
  • Selected by a vote of USTFCCCA Division I member Coaches and awarded to one (1) student-athlete per gender.
  • Nominees are the Division I Cross Country Regional Athletes of the Year, the men’s and women’s individual national champions, and a write-in.
  • Vote is conducted online via a ballot compiled by the national office.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.
• Award Distribution
  • Awards are distributed by the USTFCCCA national office.

All-Academic Individuals

• Selection
  • Awarded to all nominated student-athletes who meet the following criteria:
    • Cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period.
      • Institutions utilizing a different GPA scale must convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale using the standard conversion method [GPA/Scale x 4.0].
    • USTFCCCA Division I Cross Country All-American finisher or top 25 finisher (or top 10%) at an NCAA Division I Cross Country Regional meet.
    • Completed a minimum of one (1) semester or one (1) quarter at the nominating institution.
    • Written nomination of the student-athlete’s Coach.
  • Nomination forms are available online at the USTFCCCA website and must be received by the national office before the deadline published by the national office.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.
• Award Distribution
  • Two (2) All-Academic certificates are mailed by the national office to each qualifying student-athlete’s program. One of these certificates should be given to the qualifying student-athlete.
• Late Nominations
  • Late nominations will be accepted until 90 calendar days after the deadline published by the USTFCCCA national office for All-Academic nominations.
  • Late nominations will not be included in the press release announcing All-Academic selections, but will be included in official records of All-Academic honorees.
  • All late nominations are subject to
    • (1) a flat $50 late fee; and
    • (2) a charge of $20 per set of All-Academic certificates printed. Two (2) All-Academic certificates are included in each set.

Scholar Athletes of the Year

• Selection
  • Awarded to one (1) men’s Division I and one (1) women’s Division I Cross Country student-athlete each year.
  • Student-athletes must meet the criteria for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual awards for Division I Cross Country.
  • From among the student-athletes who meet the All-Academic Individual criteria, the men’s student-athlete and the women’s student-athlete with the highest individual finishes at the most recent NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships receive the designation of USTFCCCA Cross Country Scholar Athlete of the Year for Division I.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.

All-Academic Teams

• Selection
  • Awarded to all nominated teams who meet the following criteria:
    • Cumulative team GPA at the end of the most recent semester/quarter of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period, computed by the following method:
      • Total the cumulative number of semester hours or quarter hours earned for all student-athletes on the NCAA Squad List, including the most recent grading period;
      • Total the cumulative number of grade points earned by all student-athletes, including the most recent grading period;
      • Divide the cumulative number of grade points/quality points earned by the cumulative number of semester or quarter hours earned.
      • Institutions utilizing a different GPA scale than 4.0 then must convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale using the standard conversion method [GPA/Scale x 4.0].
  • Nomination forms are available online at the USTFCCCA website and must be submitted before the deadline published by the national office.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.
• Award Distribution
  • Two (2) All-Academic certificates are mailed by the national office to each qualifying program.
• Late Nominations
  • Late nominations will be accepted until 90 calendar days after the deadline published by the USTFCCCA national office for All-Academic nominations.
  • Late nominations will not be included in the press release announcing All-Academic selections, but will be included in official records of All-Academic honorees.
  • All late nominations are subject to (1) a flat $50 late fee; and (2) a charge of $20 per set of All-Academic certificates printed. Two (2) All-Academic certificates are included in each set.

Scholar Teams of the Year

• Selection
  • Awarded to one (1) men’s Division I and one (1) women’s Division I Cross Country team each year.
  • Teams must meet the criteria for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team awards for Division I Cross Country.
  • From among the teams who meet the All-Academic Team criteria, the men’s team and the women’s team with the highest finishes at the most recent NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships receive the designation of USTFCCCA Cross Country Scholar Team of the Year for Division I.
• Eligibility
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order to be eligible for this award.

USTFCCCA Awards

• John McDonnell Men’s Program of the Year
• Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year

John McDonnell Men’s Program of the Year

• Selection
  • Award winners are selected annually as follows:
    • Awarded to one (1) men’s Division I Cross Country and Track and Field program each year.
    • Each qualifying men’s program receives points based on their finish at each of the three national championships (first place = one (1) point, second place = two (2) points, etc.).
    • The men’s program with the fewest total points receives the award.
      • In the case of a tie for the top spot in the Program of the Year final standings, the tie will be broken as follows:
        • Compare finishes for each program in each sport. The program that finished ahead the most number of times wins the tie-break (e.g., Program A finished higher than Program B in Cross Country and Outdoor Track & Field. Program B finished higher than Program A in Indoor Track & Field. Program A wins the tie-
          break).
        • If programs are still tied, the tie will be broken by the best overall finish in any sport (e.g., Program A finished 2nd in Indoor Track & Field and Program B finished 1st in Cross Country. Program B wins the tie-break).
        • If still tied, the second-best overall finishes are compared.
        • If still tied, the third-best overall finishes are compared, and so on.
      • Ties will not be broken for any other place in the final Program of the Year standings.
• Eligibility
  • The men’s program must have competed and compiled a team score at the NCAA Division I Cross Country, NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field, and NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in the same academic year.
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order to be eligible for this award.
• Award Distribution
  • Award is presented by the USTFCCCA national office at the annual Convention.

Terry Crawford Women’s Program of the Year

• Selection
  • Award winners are selected annually as follows:
    • Awarded to one (1) women’s Division I Cross Country and Track and Field program each year.
    • Each qualifying women’s program receives points based on their finish at each of the three national championships (first place = one (1) point, second place = two (2) points, etc.).
    • The women’s program with the fewest total points receives the award.
      • In the case of a tie for the top spot in the Program of the Year final standings, the tie will be broken as follows:
        • Compare finishes for each program in each sport. The program that finished ahead the most number of times wins the tie-break (e.g., Program A finished higher than Program B in Cross Country and Outdoor Track & Field. Program B finished higher than Program A in Indoor Track & Field. Program A wins the tie-break).
        • If programs are still tied, the tie will be broken by the best overall finish in any sport (e.g., Program A finished 2nd in Indoor Track & Field and Program B finished 1st in Cross Country. Program B wins the tie-break).
        • If still tied, the second-best overall finishes are compared.
        • If still tied, the third-best overall finishes are compared, and so on.
      • Ties will not be broken for any other place in the final Program of the Year standings.
• Eligibility
  • The women’s program must have competed and compiled a team score at the NCAA Division I Cross Country, NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field, and NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in the same academic year.
  • Programs must be members of a Division I Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order to be eligible for this award.
• Award Distribution
  • Award is presented by the USTFCCCA national office at the annual Convention.