Division III Cross Country Handbook

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• Executive Committee
• Committees
• Meetings
  • Convention
  • Conference Calls
• Regional Rankings
• National Polls
• Awards
  • Cross Country Awards
  • USTFCCCA Awards

Current Association Contacts

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

Division III Cross Country Leadership

General Eligibility Requirements:

Only coaches who are members of the Division III Program
Membership Division in good standing with the USTFCCCA may be nominated for, elected to, appointed to, or serve in any office of Division III Cross Country.

Number of In-Person Meetings per Year:
Division III Cross Country Officers meet once per year at the USTFCCCA annual convention.

Number of Conference Calls per Year:
Division III Cross Country Officers participate in 11 regularly scheduled conference calls per year. Currently the calls are scheduled for the first Tuesday of the months of January through November.

• 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 Division III Cross Country meetings.
    • Appoint working committees as he/she deems necessary.
    • Appoint members of standing and working committees as necessary.
    • Appoint persons to serve on any vacancy on the Division III Cross Country Executive Committee.
    • Appoint persons to serve on any vacancy on Division III Cross Country Committees.
    • In conjunction with the Division III Track and Field President, jointly appoint persons to serve on any vacancy on Division III Committees not specific to cross country and/or track and field.
    • Serve as an ad-hoc member of all Division III Cross Country committees.
    • In conjunction with the CEO of USTFCCCA, act as the Division III Cross Country Representative before the NCAA.
      • Assist in lobbying the NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country Committee on issues of importance to Division III Cross Country.
    • Act as the Division III 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 III Cross Country.
    • Attend the Division III Cross Country National Championships.
      • Present USTFCCCA awards at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Banquet.

• Vice President
  • Selection:
    • Candidates for Vice President are elected at the annual general meeting.
    • A simple majority is required for election.
  • Term:
    • Three (3) year term.
  • Duties:
    • Serve as a member of the Division III Cross Country Executive Committee.
    • In the absence of the President, perform the duties of the President.
    • Coordinate any and all special committees appointed by the President.
    • Serve as chair of the Division III Cross Country Polls Committee.
    • Attend the Division III Cross Country annual general meeting and any other Executive Committee meetings.
    • Participate in 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, as needed.
  • Term:
    • Ongoing.
  • Duties:
    • Keep a true record of the proceedings of all meetings of the Association.
    • Keep current all edits of the Constitution and Bylaws, keep resolutions, and preserve records.
    • 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.
    • Keep an election schedule approved by the Cross Country Executive Committee for the election of Cross Country Regional Representatives.
    • Maintain a list of members who have served as an Officer, Regional Representative, or Committee Member.
    • Serve as chair of the Law and Legislation Committee.
    • Attend the Division III Cross Country annual general meeting and any other Division III Cross Country Executive Committee meetings.
    • Participate in Executive Committee conference calls, as established by the President.
    • Carry out any other duties the Presidents may from time to time assign.

Other Members of the Division II Cross Country Executive Committee

General Eligibility Requirements:

Only coaches who are members of the Division III Program Membership Division in good standing with the USTFCCCA may be nominated for, elected to, appointed to, or serve in any office of Division III Cross Country.

Number of In-Person Meetings per Year:
Division III Cross Country Executive Committee Members meet once per year at the USTFCCCA annual convention.

Number of Conference Calls per Year:
Division III Cross Country Executive Committee members participate in eleven regularly scheduled conference calls per year. Currently the calls are scheduled for the first Tuesday of the months of January through November.

• Regional Representatives
  • Number:
    • One (1) per NCAA Division III Cross Country region per gender (total of 16)
  • Selection:
    • Elected at the annual USTFCCCA convention.
  • Term:
    • Three (3) year terms beginning after the annual convention. Regional Representatives are limited to a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms.
  • Duties:
    • Represent the concerns and interests of his/her region.
    • Serve as a member of the Division III Cross Country Executive Committee.
    • Advise coaches in the region of the actions, policies, and services of the Association.
    • Submit rankings during the cross country season for men’s or women’s cross country in their region (top 10), as per the schedule established by the Polls 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.
    • Prepare an agenda for regional coaches meetings.
    • Ensure that the regional meeting agenda is distributed to the respective region’s coaches prior to the meeting.
    • Conduct regional coaches meetings as necessary.
    • Keep a true record of the proceedings of respective regional meetings.
    • Ensure that the minutes of these meetings are distributed to the coaches in the respective region.
    • Forward agenda items and minutes of Regional meetings to the President, Secretary, and National Office.
    • Send a “Call for Nominations” 30-45 days before the annual meeting when pending Regional Representative vacancies exist.
    • Notify regional coaches of the Regional Representative nominees at least five (5) days before the annual meeting.
    • Conduct an election to fill Regional Representative vacancies at the annual meeting;
    • Attend the Division III Cross Country annual general meeting and any other Executive Committee meetings.
    • Participate in 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:
    • One (1) year term.
  • Duties:
    • Work with the President as an advisor.
    • Attend both the Division III Cross Country annual general meeting and any other Executive Committee meetings.
    • Participate in Executive Committee conference calls, as established by the President.
    • Carry out any other duties the President may from time to time assign.

• Historian
  • Selection:
    • Appointed by the President, as needed.
  • Term:
    • Ongoing.
  • Duties:
    • Serve as a member of the Division III Cross Country Executive Committee.
    • Preserve records, including, but not limited to, NCAA Division III Regional and National results, academic awards, and athletic awards.
    • Administer any historical duties as directed by the Association.
    • Attend the Division III Cross Country annual general meeting and associated Cross Country Executive Committee meetings.
    • Participate in Cross Country Executive Committee conference calls, as established by the President.
    • Carry out any other duties the President may from time to time assign.

Division III Committees

Cross Country Polls Committee

• Chair:
  • Vice President
• Members:
  • All Division III Cross Country Regional Representatives serve as members of the Division III Cross Country Polls Committee. Division III Cross Country Men’s and Women’s Poll Coordinators also serve as members.
• Duties:
  • Determine regional and national poll release dates.
  • Analyze previous year’s poll methodology and make improvements as necessary.
• Meetings:
  • The committee meets by teleconference during the months of July, August, and
    September and at the direction of the Division III Cross Country President or the
    Committee Chair.
  • Other conference call and/or e-mail communication will be necessary throughout the year.

Hall of Fame Committee

• Chair:
  • Appointed jointly by the Division III Cross Country and Track and Field Presidents.
• Members:
  • At least two (2) members appointed by the Division III Cross Country President and two (2) members appointed by the Division III Track and Field President.
  • Terms will last four (4) years and are to be staggered so that only one member is replaced each year.
• Committee Duties:
  • Accept athlete nominations for the USTFCCCA Division III Hall of Fame and determine yearly class of honorees.
  • Each member will make a personal contact with an inductee and act as a liaison for the committee in attending the awards ceremony.
  • Each member will assist in seeking nominations of qualified athletes.
• Committee Chair Duties:
  • Maintain an updated nomination form on the USTFCCCA website.
  • Receive and disseminate nominations to Committee.
  • Communicate with the USTFCCCA national office on inductee contact and biography information.
  • Present Hall of Fame inductees at the awards ceremony at the Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships banquet.
  • Organize and run the committee meetings.
  • Coordinate awards ceremony with host institution.
• Meetings:
  • The committee meets at the direction of the Division III Cross Country or Track and Field President or the Committee Chair.
  • Other conference call and/or e-mail communication may be necessary throughout the year.

Law and Legislation Committee

• Chair:
  • Secretary
• Members:
  • At least two additional members appointed by the President.
• Duties:
  • Review, interpret, and maintain the Operating Bylaws of the Association.
  • With the National Office, review, interpret, and maintain the Handbook of the
    Association.
• Meetings:
  • The committee meets by teleconference a minimum of two times per year and at the direction of the President or the Committee Chair. At least one meeting will be held in conjunction with the Track and Field Law and Legislation Committee.
  • Other conference call and/or e-mail communication may be necessary throughout the year.

Nominations and Elections Committee

• Chair:
  • Appointed by the President
• Members:
  • At least two additional members appointed by the President.
• Duties:
  • Develop, evaluate, and bring forth qualified candidates to present for a vote to the Qualified Membership of the Association at the annual convention.
  • Determine procedure for voting and eligibility of candidates for election.
• Meetings:
  • The committee meets at the direction of the President or the Committee Chair.
  • Other conference call and/or e-mail communication may be necessary throughout the year.

Working Committees

The President may establish committees at any time throughout the year to study topics or perform specific duties. They may remain intact until their charge has been accomplished.

Division III Cross Country Meetings

Convention / Annual Meeting

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

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

Business
The Division III Cross Country business meetings follow the Bylaws of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the Operating Bylaws of the NCAA Division III Program Membership Divisions (Cross Country), and this Handbook. When a procedural question is not defined within these documents, Division III 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 III 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:

1. The Division III 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
2. 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
3. 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.

The Executive Committee’s action shall stand as the position of the membership on any proposals that require a response prior to the next convention. A majority vote of the Executive Committee members present under a quorum may move to designate a proposal as requiring a response prior to the next convention. The Secretary shall ensure that the proposals requiring a response prior to the next convention and the Executive Committee’s decision are 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 III 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 III Cross Country general membership prior to the start of the convention.

Voting
A quorum will consist of the dues-paying members present. Members of USTFCCCA Division III Cross Country must be present to vote at convention. Voting is by membership, unless the President and/or a plurality of the Executive Committee calls for a Unit Vote.

Types

• Membership:
  • Voting is conducted by member coach. Each Division III 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 program. Each institutional program receives one vote, such that a Division III men’s or women’s cross country program receives one (1) vote, and a Division III combined cross country program receives two (2) votes. Only one (1) designated representative per institution 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).
• Slate of Candidates:
  • If deemed appropriate, the Executive Committee may present a slate of candidates to the membership to vote upon. The slate of candidates shall be voted up or down as determined by a majority of those voting. If the slate is voted down, any individual member may move on the floor to nominate a replacement slate of candidates.

Action
The Division III 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 III Cross Country voting sessions.

Conference Calls

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

Schedule
Division III Cross Country scheduled conference calls take place once per 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 III Cross Country Officers, Regional Representatives, and other members of the Executive Committee. Those who will not be able to attend should notify the Division III Cross Country President and Secretary as soon as possible.

Business

Monthly conference call agendas shall be of the following format:

• Roll Call
• Information items
• Continuation of previously addressed proposals
• Proposal Presentations
• Discussion of new proposals
• Questions/Future discussion items
• Comments from the national office

The Division III Cross Country conference calls follow the Bylaws of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the Operating Bylaws of the NCAA Division III Program Membership Divisions (Cross Country), and this Handbook. When a procedural question is not defined within these documents, the Division III 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 must be established in order for a vote to take place.

Action
The Division III 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 III Cross Country generally or the coaches of their region specifically.

Division III Cross Country Polls

Regional Rankings

Division III Cross Country Regional Rankings are released by the USTFCCCA national office on Tuesdays during the cross country season. Dates are predetermined by the Division III Cross Country Executive Committee. The top ten (10) teams in each gender and region are ranked. Only programs that are members in good standing with the USTFCCCA shall be ranked. Teams in transition to Division III are not included in these rankings.

Preseason Ranking: Released on the Tuesday twelve (12) weeks prior to the Division III Cross Country Championships.

Regular Rankings: The first regular season ranking is released on Tuesday ten (10) weeks prior to the Division III Cross Country Championships and ending with the Tuesday two (2) weeks prior to the NCAA Regional meets (total of eight (8) poll dates).

Criteria
Division III Cross Country Regional Representatives submit the regional rankings for the top ten (10) teams in the region and gender they represent, either by sole determination of the Regional Representative or by a poll of the region’s coaches.

Procedure
Men’s rankings must be submitted to d3mxcpoll@ustfccca.org by 12:00 Noon Central Time on Monday prior to each Tuesday release. Women’s rankings must be submitted to d3wxcpoll@ustfccca.org by 12:00 Noon Central Time on Monday prior to each Tuesday release. The only exception is the preseason ranking which must be submitted to those same email addresses by 12:00 Noon Central time on the Friday prior to its release.

This submission should include a brief explanation of why the top teams achieved their rankings, as well as brief information on any teams that moved in the rankings from the previous week; for each team highlight the results for team and significant information (average time, 1-5 gap, top runner, other national and regional ranked teams in results and how they finished in comparison, any top athletes missing from competition and reason if known). The submission also should include suggested national rankings as applicable (as specific as possible, preferably a range of 5 places).

These submissions should use the Google Sheets file distributed by the USTFCCCA.

National Polls

Released by the USTFCCCA national office on Wednesdays during the cross country season. Dates are predetermined by the Division III Cross Country Executive Committee. The top 30 teams in each gender are ranked. In the final poll of the year, the 32 teams qualified to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships for each gender will all be ranked. Only programs that are members in good standing with the USTFCCCA shall be ranked.

Preseason Poll: Released on the Wednesday twelve (12) weeks prior to the Division III Cross Country Championships.

Regular Polls: Weekly polls are released on Wednesdays beginning ten (10) weeks prior to the Division III Cross Country Championships and ending with the Wednesday two (2) weeks prior to the NCAA Regional meets. The final regular season poll is released on the Monday prior to the Division III Cross Country Championships (total of eight (8) poll dates) and will be a preview of the 32 teams accepted into the national championships.

Criteria
Division III Regional Representatives vote on the top 30 teams in the country in the gender they represent (men or women), except in the final poll of the year, where they vote to rank the 32 teams that qualify to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships for each gender. For the first seven polls, these rankings must follow the rank order of teams within a region when ranking teams nationally (e.g., the second-ranked team from Region A cannot be ranked ahead of the top-ranked team from Region A). For the final two national polls, the rank order of teams within a region does not need to be followed in the national rankings.

Regional Representatives observe the results of head-to-head competitions on inter-regional comparisons, when possible, including results from past weeks and giving preference to the most recent competition.

Procedure
Division III Regional Representatives submit their rankings of the top 30 (or 32, in the final poll) teams in the country via an online ballot administered by the National Office. Each Regional Representative ranks the top 30 (or 32, in the final poll) teams in the country, and those rankings are compiled to create the national rankings for Division III Cross Country. Rankings must be submitted by 12:00 Noon Central Time on Tuesday prior to each Wednesday release.

Division III Cross Country Awards

Regional Coaches of the Year

Selection

1. Selected by an institutional vote of USTFCCCA Division III member coaches in the respective region and awarded to one (1) coach per gender per region.
2. Nominees include the coaches of the top four (4) finishing teams in each NCAA Division III region and gender as well as a write-in.
3. Voting takes place online following the NCAA Division III Cross Country Regional Championships via a ballot compiled by the national office.

Eligibility
Programs must be members of a Division III 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 III Cross Country National Championships.

Regional Athlete of the Year

Selection

1. Selected by an institutional vote of USTFCCCA Division III member coaches in the respective region and awarded to one (1) student-athlete per gender per region.
2. Nominees include the top four (4) finishers in each NCAA Division III Cross Country region and gender as well as a write-in.
3. Voting takes place online following the NCAA Division III Cross Country Regional Championships via a ballot compiled by the national office.

Eligibility
Programs must be members of a Division III 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 III Cross Country National Championships.

All-Region

Selection
Awarded to the top 35 finishers at the NCAA Division III Cross Country regional meets in each region and gender.

Eligibility

1. Programs must be members of a Division III Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.
2. Non-eligible student-athletes in the top 35 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 meet. 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.

National Coaches of the Year

Selection

1. Selected by an institutional vote of USTFCCCA Division III member coaches.
2. Nominees are the Division III Cross Country Regional Coaches of the Year, the coaches of the men’s and women’s national championship teams, and a write-in.
3. Vote is conducted online the Sunday and Monday after the Division III Cross Country National Championships.

Eligibility
Programs must be members of a Division III 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
Awarded to the male and female student-athletes who win the individual national titles at the NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championships.

Eligibility
Programs must be members of a Division III 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 following the conclusion of the NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championships.

All-America

Selection
Awarded to the top 40 finishers in the men’s and women’s NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championship races.

Eligibility

1. Programs must be members of a Division III Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.
2. 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 meet. 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.

All-American Individuals

Selection

1. Awarded to all nominated student-athletes who meet the following criteria:
   • Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a 4.0 scale through the end of the fall semester/quarter of competition. 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]. Data must be certifiable by the institution’s registrar.
   • Graduate students must take all undergraduate plus graduate coursework into account.
   • The student-athlete must have placed in the: a) top 25% of finishers of their respective NCAA Division III Cross Country Regional Championship OR b) top 50% of the NCAA National Cross Country Championship.
2. Forms are available online at the USTFCCCA website, and nominations must be submitted to the national office before the deadline published by the national office.

Eligibility
Programs must be members of a Division III 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

1. Late nominations will be accepted until 90 calendar days after the deadline published by the USTFCCCA national office for All-Academic nominations.
2. 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.
3. 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
Award winners are selected annually as follows:

1. Awarded to one (1) men’s Division III and one (1) women’s Division III cross country student-athlete each year.
2. Student-athletes must meet the criteria for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual awards for Division III cross country.
3. 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 III Cross Country Championships receive the designation of USTFCCCA Cross Country Scholar Athlete of the Year for Division III.

Eligibility
Programs must be members of a Division III Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order for their student-athletes to be eligible for this award.

All-American Teams

Selection

1. Awarded to all nominated teams who meet the following criteria:
   • Team meets the NCAA criteria for cross country sponsorship (five meets with a minimum of five runners competing at each meet).
   • Graduate students must take all undergraduate plus graduate coursework into account.
   • Cumulative team GPA of all student-athletes who used a season of eligibility be at least a 3.1 on a 4.0 scale through the most recent semester/quarter, computed by the following method:
     • Total the cumulative number of semester hours or quarter hours completed for all student-athletes who used a season of eligibility, including the most recent grading period;
     • Total the cumulative number of quality points (GPA multiplied by the number of credit hours) earned by all student-athletes who used a season of eligibility, including the most recent grading period;
     • Divide the cumulative number of quality points earned by the cumulative number of semester or quarter hours completed.
     • 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]. Data must be certifiable by the institution’s registrar.
   • Forms are available online at the USTFCCCA website, and nominations must be submitted to the national office before the deadline published by the national office.

Eligibility
Programs must be members of a Division III Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order 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

1. Late nominations will be accepted until 90 calendar days after the deadline published by the USTFCCCA national office for All-Academic nominations.
2. 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.
3. 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
Award winners are selected annually as follows:

1. Awarded to one (1) men’s Division III and one (1) women’s Division III cross country team each year.
2. Teams must meet the criteria for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team awards for Division III cross country.
3. 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 III Cross Country Championships receive the designation of USTFCCCA Cross Country Scholar Team of the Year for Division III.

Eligibility
Programs must be members of a Division III Program Membership Division who are in good standing with the USTFCCCA in order to be eligible for this award.

USTFCCCA Awards

Al Carius Program of the Year Award

Selection
Award winners are selected annually as follows:

• Awarded to one (1) men’s Division III 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 Al Carius Program of the Year 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.
  • Ties will not be broken for any other place in the final Program of the Year standings.

Eligibility

1. The men’s program must have competed and compiled a team score at the NCAA Division III Cross Country, NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field, and NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in the same academic year.
2. Programs must be members of a Division III 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.

Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year Award

Selection
Award winners are selected annually as follows:

1. Awarded to one (1) women’s Division III cross country and track and field program each year.
2. 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.).
3. The women’s program with the fewest total points receives the Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year 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.
   • Ties will not be broken for any other place in the final Program of the Year standings.

Eligibility

1. The women’s program must have competed and compiled a team score at the NCAA Division III Cross Country, NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field, and NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in the same academic year.
2. Programs must be members of a Division III 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.

Division III Athlete Hall of Fame

Selection
Selected one (1) year in advance by the Division III Hall of Fame Committee at the annual general meeting, from a list of nominees submitted by member coaches to the Hall of Fame Committee Chair prior to the annual general meeting.

Eligibility

1. All nominees must be nominated by a member of the USTFCCCA via a printable form available online at the USTFCCCA website. The deadline is December 5 of each year.
2. To be nominated, an athlete must meet the following criteria:
   • At least 10 years removed from college competition.
   • Athlete’s institution was NCAA Division III at the time they competed.
3. Nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:
   • Athletic achievement within NCAA Division III (50%)
   • Athletic achievement beyond NCAA Division III (30%)
   • Noncompetitive contributions to Cross Country/Track and Field at large (20%)

Award Distribution
Hall of Fame inductees are recognized at the Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships.