NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released the Program of the Year list today. The Montana Tech women’s track & Field program finished third in the prestigious national list.

The USTFCCCA Program of the Year Award honors the institution that has achieved the most success in each academic year determined by where the institution finishes in cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field. In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the NAIA Championships. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each championship with the lowest score determining the winner.

Tech finished 11^th at the NAIA Cross Country Championships, sixth at the Indoor Championships, and eighth at the Outdoor Championships.

The Orediggers won the Outdoor Frontier Conference Championship this year in their first year competing as a full team. Head coach Zach Kughn was named the Frontier Coach of the Year.

Freshman Abby Clark was named the Frontier Field Athlete of the Year. Clark won the heptathlon, 100-meter hurdles, high jump, and finished second in the long jump.

Senior Becca Richtman was named the Track Athlete of the Year and also won the USTFCCCA Track Athlete of the Year. Richtman scored 40 points in the conference meet winning the 3,000-meter steeple chase, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters and finished second in the 800 meters and 1,600-meter relay. Richtman scored 26 points for the Orediggers at the NAIA National Championship winning the 10,000 meter and finished second in the 5,000 meter and steeple chase.

To be selected to the outdoor track and field all-conference team, the student-athlete must place in the top three of their event at the conference meet. A total of 14 student-athletes brought home 29 all-conference honors.

Name                          Events                                                             Yr.        Hometown

Naiya Beaudin             Heptathlon, Hurdles, Jumps, Relays               Fr.        Lolo, Mont.

Abby Clark                   Heptathlon, Hurdles, Jumps, Relays               Fr.        Fort Benton, Mont.

Alisa Hashley               Relays                                                              Sr.        Gresham, Ore.

Natylia Jacobson         Relays, Sprints                                                 Fr.        Dillon, Mont.

Jenna Jordan               Throws                                                            Fr.        Corvallis, Mont.

Madison Kelly             Relays                                                              Fr.        St. Regis, Mont.

Karly Lawson               Throws                                                            Fr.        Hot Springs, Mont.

Carlin Manning           Steeplechase, Relays                                      So.       Kalispell, Mont.

Hailey Nielson             Distance                                                          Fr.        Butte, Mont.

Becca Richtman          Distance, Mid-Distance, Steeplechase, RelaysSr.       Elburn, Ill.

Emily Ratz                    Sprints, Relays                                                Fr.        Missoula, Mont.

Tristen Sedgwick         Throws                                                            Fr.        Worden, Mont.

Olleca Severson          Heptathlon, Hurdles, Jumps, Relays               Fr.        Manhattan, Mont.

Taylor Torgerson         Relays                                                              Fr.        Great Falls, Mont.