NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Saginaw Valley State University women's cross country and track & field programs combined to finish ninth in the final rankings for Program of the Year Award sponsored by the U.S. Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association.

The award celebrates the accomplishments of schools that score at the NCAA Championships in the sports of cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field.  The Cardinals finished 13th in their first ever appearance at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in November and were led by the strong individual efforts of Alycia Wright and the Distance Medley Relay (DMR) team at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.  Wright garnered three individual All-American awards and was part of the DMR team that also received All-American accolades.

Saginaw Valley was 13th in cross country, 33rd in both indoor and outdoor track and field. Only four GLIAC teams, Saginaw Valley, Grand Valley, Ashland and Ferris Statre, scored in all three NCAA meets in 2011-12.