NEW ORLEANS, La. – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) has announced the final standings for its Program of the Year Awards. The Carroll College Men finished the 2024-25 season in fourth place in the final standings.

Fresh off of a program-best team finish at the 2025 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championship, the Fighting Saints were recognized with a top-five finish in the final USTFCCCA Program of the Year standings – another program-best.

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 their respective Championships.

Fueled by a bevy of All-American performances and individual titles, it was a banner year for the Carroll Men, as the Cross Country team, and both Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field teams placed inside the top-12 team scores at their respective championship events.

The Men’s Cross Country team, paced by All-American Zack Gacnik (Confier, Colo. / JR), completed the National Championship 8k course with the fastest team time in school history (2:05:53). The 12th place finish at the national meet was the program’s best since the 2015 season.

The superb year continued on for the Saints at the 2025 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships, as Weston Means (Billings, Mont. / SO) captured Carroll’s first individual title since 2022 with a school record High Jump of 2.15m (7′ ½”). Three other Saints grabbed All-American honors at the championship (Gacnik – 5000m | Krack, Monaco – Heptathlon), leading Carroll to an 11th place finish.

2024-25 culminated with a Frontier Conference Championship, a pair of individual champions, and a top-five finish at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Means successfully defended his High Jump crown, sweeping the yearly competition. Tucker Monaco (Bakersfield, Calif. / JR) earned All-American honors in both the Pole Vault (8th place) and Decathlon (3rd place). Josh Smalley (Missoula, Mont. / SR) ended his career with an All-American 6th place finish in the Pole Vault. Reuben Hornby (Kalispell, Mont. / JR) finished runner-up in the Javelin, while Brycen Garnder (Spokane, Wash. / JR) placed fifth in the 3,000m Steeplechase. Carson Krack (Whitefish, Mont. / FR) was outstanding, winning the Decathlon as a true freshman, to help vault the Saints into their highest team placement in program history.

In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the Championships. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each 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.

To view the full USTFCCCA release on Program of the Year honors across all divisions of collegiate athletics, click HERE.

Be sure to visit www.carrollathletics.com to continue to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll College Athletics.

FOLLOW THE FIGHTING SAINTS

Facebook: @carrollcollegeathletics

Instagram: @cc_saints

X: @CCsaints

#MarchOn

++

Fernandes joins the Salukis from Morgan State where she was a key outside hitter for the Bears. The Brazil native put down 167 kills during her junior season in 2023, including a season-high 12 against South Carolina State on Oct. 1. She began her career at Odessa College where she was an All-American Honorable Mention in 2022.

“Ainara is joining us as a grad transfer and will provide some more experience and depth on the pins,” Head Coach Brittany Harry said. “I have a long knowledge of Ainara and her level of play back when she competed for Odessa College at the beginning of her college career in the U.S. She has a really high volleyball IQ and we will look for her to contribute immediately for us in Carbondale.“

Fernandes also shined off the court, receiving a Student Award of Excellence at Odessa College and Morgan State, while making the Dean’s List during her junior and senior seasons.

Nevaeh Laster will not have to move very far, transferring from John A. Logan College. The Mattoon, Ill., native tallied 167 kills and 129 blocks in two seasons with a .370 hitting efficiency. Her 2024 season was her most impressive she put down 126 kills and 98 blocks with a .384 efficiency.

“We are excited to add Neveah for some more depth in the middle,” Harry said. “She had a really nice JUCO career down the street at John. A Logan where they went 51-16 in her two years there. She has a high athletic ceiling and when you couple that with the winning mentality she has that is a great recipe for success.“

Her sister Ella plays volleyball at Rend Lake College in Jefferson County, Ill.

FOLLOW THE SALUKIS

Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on X (@SIU_Volleyball), Instagram (@SIU_Volleyball) and Facebook (SalukiVolleyball). Fans can also download the “Salukis” Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.     

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Isaac Riggs has been awarded the South Atlantic Conference’s Bob McCloskey Insurance (BMI) Postgraduate Scholarship, the Conference announced on Wednesday (June 11).

“The SAC is very appreciative of the continued support of Bob McCloskey Insurance for these scholarships,” said SAC Commissioner Patrick Britz. ” Savanna and Isaac have dedicated themselves to being student-athletes and are very deserving of this award. The SAC is very proud of their academic and athletic achievements and wish them the best in their postgraduate studies.”

“We are honored to be able to help support the student-athletes of the South Atlantic Conference,” Peter Ginnegar, Senior Vice President of BMI stated. “We know that the cost of higher education can be difficult to manage, but we hope these scholarships will allow these deserving student-athletes the opportunity to complete their degrees.” 

Riggs, a senior from Mount Airy, N.C., was a member of the Bears’ cross country and track and field teams. Riggs majors in biology and minors in business and chemistry and owns a 3.97 cumulative GPA. He is the student body president at Lenoir-Rhyne and the President of the LR SAAC. He is an honors student and executive board member of the Fritz Honors College and Lineberger Honors Program while also serving as a Resident Assistant. He was a member of the Presidential Selection Committee and a tutor in biology and chemistry.   

Riggs was also the Homecoming King and a President’s Award recipient. At Lenoir-Rhyne, he earned the Leadership Impact Award and earned multiple Dean’s List honors. His goal is to become a general dentist and plans to enroll in the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) program at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry.

The BMI postgraduate scholarships are awarded to SAC student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and have completed their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. Both Riggs and Brooks will receive a one-time, non-renewable scholarship of $3,000 toward graduate school.

At Clarke University, we look for individuals who lead from the heart and embrace our values of education, charity, justice, and freedom. By creating a community focused on care, we empower everyone at Clarke to do and be their best. We offer meaningful work, a safe and friendly work environment, and an outstanding benefits package, including tuition remission, and extensive professional development opportunities. So, if you’re looking for a place to make a positive impact, we hope you’ll consider our One Clarke, One Community.

Clarke University invites applications for the full-time position of Head Men’s Volleyball Coach. Responsibilities include operating and managing all aspects of the men’s volleyball program in accordance with university and NAIA philosophies. Bachelor’s degree and coaching experience required. To apply, upload a current resume and letter of interest at http://clarke.applicantpool.com. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Clarke University is committed to fostering a welcoming campus community that celebrates each person’s unique contributions and promotes an inclusive learning environment. Clarke University does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

About Clarke University

Clarke University is a growing, Catholic, coeducational liberal arts institution known for its superb teaching and academics. Founded in 1843 by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), Clarke is located near the Mississippi River in Dubuque, Iowa. The only BVM university in the country, Clarke’s 55-acre campus is a blend of historic buildings and new, state-of-the-art facilities. Academic offerings include more than 40 undergraduate liberal arts and pre-professional programs and four graduate degree programs.

Connections working at Clarke University