New Mexico women’s cross country and track team has finished the highest it ever has under head coach Joe Franklin.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's Terry Crawford Program of the Year announced that UNM finished eighth in the standings for the 2015-2016 seasons. It is the third time under Franklin the women were able to place in the award, coming in 16th in 2014 and 14th last year.
Teams eligible for discussion in the award must compete at the national championships for the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championships, 2016 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships and the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Lobos tallied 46.5 points altogether for the best score in program history and the highest finisher of any non-Power Five school.
Atop the scoreboard was led in 2015 with New Mexico’s five All-Americans – Courtney Frerichs, Alice Wright, Rhona Auckland, Calli Thackery and Molly Renfer. The five distance runners brought home the second national championship home from any sport in New Mexico history.
Frerichs continued her dominance when moving to outdoor track, bringing home a national title at the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Wright came up just shy of a national crown in the 10k, but as a redshirt sophomore she finished as the nation’s runner-up.
Sophie Connor and Thackery both added points for New Mexico at the indoor Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, Alabama. Connor garnered a fifth place finish in the mile and Thackery took home sixth in the 3,000-meter.
A total of 15 teams scored at all three events, as Oregon took home the lowest tally of all the teams, making the Ducks the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association’s Terry Crawford Program of the Year.
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
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