St. Louis, MO – Illinois State has been named the 2020-21 Missouri Valley Conference Program of the Year based on their performance in Cross Country, Indoor Track & Field, and Outdoor Track & Field.
Scoring is based on the teams finish at each Missouri Valley Conference Championship in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field (i.e. 1
st=1 point, 2
nd=2 points….10
th=10 points) with the lowest total score for all six championships (3 men’s and 3 women’s) combined determining the award winner.
Illinois State claimed three first-place titles during the 2020-21 season. The Redbird women were crowned MVC Champions in both the indoor and outdoor track & field championships. The men’s program finished first in the cross country championship, second in outdoor and third at the indoor track and field championship. Illinois State takes home the Program of the Year honor for the third consecutive year.
Indiana State finished second in the program of the year standings. The Sycamore men finished runner up at the outdoor championship and third at the indoor championship, while the women finished within the top-four at both track & field championships in 2021. Though the Sycamores did not compete in the cross country championships, their average based off MVC competitions for the year along with total points still lands them second in the standings.
Southern Illinois and Missouri State tie for third in the program of the year standings with 15 points. The Saluki women placed second at both the indoor and outdoor track & field championships, and the men placed top-five in the MVC outdoor track & field championship. Missouri State women placed within the top-five at both MVC track and field championships during the 2021 season.
Northern Iowa’s performance at championships earned fourth in the standings with 20 points. The Panther’s claimed the 2021 men’s indoor & outdoor championship titles and the women placed within the top-five for all three championships this season.
Drake rounds out the top-five with 28 points. The Bulldogs ranked within the top-five at all three championships on the men’s side and ranked third on the women’s side at the MVC cross country championship.
| Program (Championship Titles) |
Points |
Average Place |
| Illinois State (3) |
12 points |
2.00 |
| Indiana State |
13 points |
3.25 |
| Southern Illinois |
15 points |
3.75 |
| Missouri State |
15 points |
5.00 |
| Northern Iowa (2) |
20 points |
3.33 |
| Drake |
28 points |
4.67 |
| Women’s Team (Championship Titles) |
Pts. |
Men’s Team (Championship Titles) |
Pts. |
| 1. Southern Illinois |
4 |
T1. Illinois State (1) |
6 |
| 2. Illinois State (2) |
6 |
T1. Indiana State |
6 |
| 3. Indiana State |
7 |
2. Northern Iowa (2) |
7 |
| 4. Northern Iowa |
13 |
3. Drake |
10 |
| 5. Loyola (1) |
14 |
4. Southern Illinois |
11 |