Badgers finish eighth in Program of the Year standings
June 16, 2010 | Men's Cross Country
June 16, 2010
• John McDonnell Program of the Year Award - Final Standings 
MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin men’s track and field and cross country program has earned an eighth-place finish in the final standings for the second annual John McDonnell Program of the Year Award.
The award, presented by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, recognizes the nation’s best all-around programs based on their finishes at the three NCAA championship events throughout the year.
The Badgers earned their eighth-place standing by virtue of finishing 26th or better at the NCAA’s championship events for cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field.
Scores are awarded based on a team’s finish at each event, with a championship finish worth one point, a second-place finish worth two points, and so on.
The Badgers finished with a cumulative score of 57.5 points, finishing just 2.5 markers out of fifth place.
Oregon, which posted runner-up finishes in both cross country and indoor track before adding a third-place finish in outdoor track last week, claimed the John McDonnell Program of the Year Award with a cumulative score of 7.5 points.
Arizona State (30 points) was second, followed by Northern Arizona (42.5), Florida State (51) and Washington (55).
Wisconsin’s seventh-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championship marked the program’s 14th-consecutive finish of seventh or higher at the national meet. Over the last 27 seasons, Wisconsin has finished lower than seventh at the NCAA championship just five times – a run that includes four national championships and seven runner-up finishes.
The Badgers also have won 11 consecutive Big Ten Conference titles in cross country.
At the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships, the Badgers used All-America performances by senior Craig Miller in the mile and freshman Zach Mellon in the 800 meters to secure a tie for 26th place.
UW then concluded its season last weekend by finishing in a tie for 21st place on the strength of All-America performances by Miller and Jack Bolas in the 1,500 meters and freshman Mohammed Ahmed in the 10,000 meters.
Interestingly, only one of this year’s three NCAA champion teams ranks among the top 17 in the final standings for the John McDonnell Program of the Year Award. Oklahoma State, which claimed the national title in cross country, ended up 14th in the final rankings, while indoor champion Florida and outdoor champion Texas A&M were not among the contenders for the award.
Wisconsin was one of two Big Ten teams to place among the contenders, with conference rival Ohio State finishing 16th.
