NEW ORLEANS — The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) revealed its 2025-26 Fred Beile Program of the Year standings on Tuesday, and for the second straight year, the Montreat College Cavaliers achieved a top-10 placement. Behind their stellar efforts across the women's cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field championships, the Cavs wrapped up the academic year at No. 9 out of 22 qualifying NAIA programs.
 
In total, Montreat accumulated 70.5 points, one point better than No. 10 Olivet Nazarene University and seven points back of eighth-ranked Taylor University.
 
During the fall, Heather Murphy's program-best individual placement at the national cross country meet got the Cavaliers off and running. Her third-place finish and All-American performance helped the Cavs conclude 19^th out of 36 teams.
 
Montreat carried that momentum into the winter and spring months as the indoor and outdoor track & field seasons took center stage. Murphy delivered another All-American showing at indoor nationals, placing runner-up in the 5000m. That effort ultimately helped the squad tie for 36^th out of 68 scoring programs. However, Murphy wasn't done there. The Portarlington, Ireland native became the first NAIA women's individual national champion and the first two-time NAIA individual national champion in school history at the outdoor track & field championships. By winning the 10k and the 5000m, Murphy aided her team along to a tie for 14^th out of 75 scoring institutions.
 
The USTFCCCA Fred Beile Program of the Year award honors the NAIA's most successful women's cross country/track & field program. To be eligible for the award, an institution must qualify for and score at each of the following three NAIA National Championships: cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field.
 
Scoring is based on a program's finish at each of the national championships, with first place earning one point, second place garnering two points, etc. Ties among programs at one of the national meets result in split points for the positions taken. At the end of the year, the institution with the lowest combined score for all three championships is named the Fred Beile Program of the Year.
 
For a look at the official USTFCCCA Program of the Year release, click here. To view the full 2025-26 Fred Beile Program of the Year standings, click here.