Phoenix, Ariz. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's track & field squad received its 2013-14 Al Carius Division III Men's Program of the Year Award Monday night at the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Convention at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.  It marks the second consecutive season UW-L has earned the award.  

The USTFCCCA Program of the Year Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding cross country/track & field programs in each of the three divisions for each gender in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

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 Championship in cross country and both indoor and outdoor track & field (i.e. 1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points, etc.) with the lowest total score for all three championships combined determining the award recipient.  Ties among schools split points for positions taken.

The Eagles finished third at the 2013 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, captured their second straight NCAA III indoor track & field title in 2014 and placed second at the 2014 NCAA III outdoor track & field championships. 

When considering the cross country and outdoor track & field seasons, both UW-L and North Central College (Ill.) were on even ground, but the indoor season set the two apart as UW-L finished with six points to North Central's (Ill.) 12.

UW-L finished runner-up to first-time champion the University of Mount Union (Ohio) at the 2014 Division III Outdoor Championships in Delaware, Ohio, and was third in cross country in the fall behind runner-up North Central (Ill.); while North Central (Ill.) was runner-up in the fall to first-time champ St. Olaf College (Minn.) and third behind UW-L outdoors.

Indoors, however, the UW-L men won the national title while North Central (Ill.) settled for a seventh-place finish.

Rounding out the top five in this year's program of the year standings were UW-Oshkosh (19 points), UW-Eau Claire (21) and Haverford College, Pa. (33).

The Al Carius Program of the Year Award is named after USTFCCCA Hall of Famer and long-time North Central College (Ill.) head coach Al Carius.  Carius is in his 49th year of service at North Central, still as head coach of the Cardinals' cross country squad, and has won 24 NCAA Division III National Championships.