From Washington University Athletics
Coming off of a historic 2022-23 campaign, the Washington University in St. Louis women's track and field team was awarded the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's Program of the Year (USTFCCCA).
The Bears are riding a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, a second-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, and most recently placed third at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This is the fifth time in university history that the women's track and field and cross country teams have earned the distinctive accolade.
WashU took home the prestigious award with 11 points, while the University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins finished in a tie for second with 13 points.
The USTFCCCA Program of the Year 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 Championships.
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, 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 winner. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.
In total, the Bears produced 27 All-Americans: two in cross country, 11 in indoor track and field, and 14 in outdoor track and field.
Seniors Emily Konkus and Lindsay Ott welcomed All-America status in cross country with their 13th and 23rd-place finishes, respectively. Konkus ran the 6k with a time of 22:13.3, while Ott crossed the finish line with a mark of 22:30.4.
At the Indoor Track and Field Championships, WashU saw 11 All-Americans: senior Ella Behrens (5,000m), senior Aoife Dunne (800m & Distance Medley Relay), graduate Sophie Fox (4x400m Relay), sophomore Lauren Gay (200m), junior Emma Kelley (800m & 4x400m Relay), Konkus (3,000m & Distance Medley Relay), junior Kathryn Leighty (Distance Medley Relay), junior Ebun Opata (Long Jump & Triple Jump), junior Ally Sarussi (Distance Medley Relay), first-year Kylie Spytek (4x400m Relay), and sophomore Nicole Stewart (4x400m Relay). The Bears generated a second-place team finish.
WashU welcomed 14 All-Americans at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Championships. Senior Mycah Clay (4x100m Relay), Dunne (800m & 1,500m), Fox (4x400m Relay), Gay (4x100m Relay), senior Lauren Hamilton (4x100m Relay), Kelley (800m & 4x400m Relay), Konkus (1,500m), graduate Kiera Olson (10,000m), Opata (Long Jump & Triple Jump), sophomore Yasmin Ruff (Pole Vault), Sarussi (800m), senior Danielle Schultz (4x400m Relay), Spytek (4x400m Relay), and Stewart (4x100m) claimed All-America status.
The fantastic season was highlighted with the three NCAA Championship event wins. The distance medley relay team featuring Konkus, Leighty, Sarussi, and Dunne took home the event victory with their time of 11:35.09. Kelley garnered event victories in both the indoor and outdoor 800m. Kelley won the indoor championship with a mark of 2:06.62 and crossed the finish line in the outdoor 800m with a time of 2:06.47.