The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) Cross Country National Athlete of the Year award is given to the most outstanding male and female NCAA cross country athletes. Stanford's Charles Hicks and NC State's Katelyn Tuohy won the men's and women's awards in 2022, respectively.
Here's everything you need to know about the annual honor.
How does National Athlete of the Year voting work?
The National Athletes of the Year for Division I cross country are voted on by member coaches of the USTFCCCA. The voting is based on results from the voting year's DI cross country championships and the regular season.
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When is the National Athlete of the Year winner announced?
The DI cross country men's and women's National Athlete of the Year winners are announced after the conclusion of the DI cross country championships.
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National Athlete of the Year winners by school
26 schools have won at least one National Athlete of the Year award, whether that be a men's or women's win. From those 26, just 13 schools have won multiple awards in their history.
BYU, Colorado, Oregon, Texas Tech and Wisconsin lead all schools with four total National Athlete of the Year. BYU added to their total with the 2021 men's and women's awards.
Here are the schools with the most combined (men's and women's) National Athlete of the Year awards.
| No. of NAtional Athletes of the Year | School |
|---|---|
| 4 | BYU, Colorado, Oregon, Texas Tech, Wisconsin |
| 3 | Liberty, Villanova |
| 2 | Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa State, New Mexico, North Carolina, Providence |
| 1 | Alabama, Dartmouth, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Iona, Missouri, Northern Arizona, Notre Dame, NC State South Alabama, Stanford, Syracuse, UCLA |
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Men’s winners by school
Here are the schools with the most men’s National Athlete of the Year awards.
| No. of National Athletes of the Year | School |
|---|---|
| 4 | Oregon |
| 3 | BYU, Colorado, Liberty, Wisconsin |
| 2 | Arizona, Arkansas |
| 1 | Eastern Michigan, Iowa State, Providence, South Alabama, Stanford, Syracuse, Texas Tech, UCLA, Villanova |
Women’s winners by school
Here are the schools with the most women’s National Athlete of the Year awards.
| No. of National Athletes of the Year | School |
|---|---|
| 3 | Texas Tech |
| 2 | New Mexico, North Carolina, Villanova |
| 1 | Alabama, Arizona, BYU, Colorado, Dartmouth, Illinois, Iona, Iowa State, Missouri, Northern Arizona, Notre Dame, NC State, Providence, Wisconsin |
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National Athlete of the Year winners by conference
Here are the conferences with the most combined (men's and women's) National Athlete of the Year awards.
| No. of National Athletes of the Year | Conference |
|---|---|
| 13 | Pac-12 |
| 6 | Big 12 |
| 5 | ACC, Big East, Big Ten |
| 4 | SEC, WCC |
| 3 | ASUN |
| 2 | Mountain West |
| 1 | Big Sky, Ivy, MAAC, MAC, Sun Belt |
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Men’s winners by conference
Here are the conferences with the most men’s National Athlete of the Year awards.
| No. of National Athletes of the Year | Conference |
|---|---|
| 11 | Pac-12 |
| 3 | ASUN, Big Ten, WCC |
| 2 | Big 12, Big East, SEC |
| 1 | ACC, MAC, Sun Belt |
Women’s winners by conference
Here are the conferences with the most women’s National Athlete of the Year awards.
| No. of National Athletes of the Year | Conference |
|---|---|
| 4 | ACC, Big 12 |
| 3 | Big East |
| 2 | Big Ten, Mountain West, Pac-12, SEC |
| 1 | Big Sky, Big Ten, Ivy, MAAC, SEC, WCC |
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Complete history of past National Athlete of the Year recipients
Stanford's Charles Hicks and NC State's Katelyn Tuohy won the 2022 men's and women's DI cross country National Athlete of the Year awards, respectively. Hicks and Tuohy are the first recepients of the award in each of their school's history. Both Hicks and Tuohy won the 2022 DI individual title at the NCAA championships.
The year prior, BYU swept the 2021 men's and women's DI cross country National Athlete of the Year awards with Conner Mantz and Whittni Orton winning the men's and women's awards, respectively.
With the win, Mantz became the fifth man to win consecutive awards joining Edward Cheserek (Oregon, 2013-15), Sam Chelanga (Liberty, 2009-10), Simon Bairu (Wisconsin, 2004-05) and Godfrey Siamusiye (Arkansas, 1995-96). Colorado is the only school to have two different consecutive winners with Jorge Torres (2002) and Dathan Ritzenhein (2003).
On the women's side, Sheila Reid (Villanova, 2010-11), Sally Kipyego (Texas Tech, 2006-08) and Shalane Flanagan (North Carolina, 2002-03) are the only women to win consecutive awards.
See the full list below.
| Year | Athlete | School | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Charles Hicks | Stanford | Men's |
| Katelyn Tuohy | NC State | Women's | |
| 2021 | Conner Mantz | BYU | Men's |
| Whittni Orton | BYU | Women's | |
| 2020 | Conner Mantz | BYU | Men's |
| Mercy Chelangat | Alabama | Women's | |
| 2019 | Edwin Kurgat | Iowa State | Men's |
| Weini Kelati | New Mexico | Women's | |
| 2018 | Morgan McDonald | Wisconsin | Men's |
| Dani Jones | Colorado | Women's | |
| 2017 | Justyn Knight | Syracuse | Men's |
| Ednah Kurgat | New Mexico | Women's | |
| 2016 | Patrick Tiernan | Villanova | Men's |
| Karissa Schweizer | Missouri | Women's | |
| 2015 | Edward Cheserek | Oregon | Men's |
| Molly Seidel | Notre Dame | Women's | |
| 2014 | Edward Cheserek | Oregon | Men's |
| Kate Avery | Iona | Women's | |
| 2013 | Edward Cheserek | Oregon | Men's |
| Abbey D'Agostino | Dartmouth | Women's | |
| 2012 | Kennedy Kithuka | Texas Tech | Men's |
| Betsy Saina | Iowa State | Women's | |
| 2011 | Lawi Lalang | Arizona | Men's |
| Sheila Reid | Villanova | Women's | |
| 2010 | Sam Chelanga | Liberty | Men's |
| Sheila Reid | Villanova | Women's | |
| 2009 | Sam Chelanga | Liberty | Men's |
| Angela Bizzarri | Illinois | Women's | |
| 2008 | Galen Rupp | Oregon | Men's |
| Sally Kipyego | Texas Tech | Women's | |
| 2007 | Josh McDougal | Liberty | Men's |
| Sally Kipyego | Texas Tech | Women's | |
| 2006 | Josh Rohatinsky | BYU | Men's |
| Sally Kipyego | Texas Tech | Women's | |
| 2005 | Simon Bairu | Wisconsin | Men's |
| Johanna Nilsson | Northern Arizona | Women's | |
| 2004 | Simon Bairu | Wisconsin | Men's |
| Kim Smith | Providence | Women's | |
| 2003 | Dathan Ritzenhein | Colorado | Men's |
| Shalane Flanagan | North Carolina | Women's | |
| 2002 | Jorge Torres | Colorado | Men's |
| Shalane Flanaga | North Carolina | Women's | |
| 2001 | Boaz Cheboiywo | Eastern Michigan | Men's |
| 2000 | Keith Kelly | Providence | Men's |
| 1999 | David Kimani | South Alabama | Men's |
| 1998 | Adam Goucher | Colorado | Men's |
| 1997 | Mebrahtom Keflezighi | UCLA | Men's |
| 1996 | Godfrey Siamusiye | Arkansas | Men's |
| 1995 | Godfrey Siamusiye | Arkansas | Men's |
| Kathy Butler | Wisconsin | Women's | |
| 1994 | Martin Keino | Arizona | Men's |