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BYU Cougars men's cross country

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BYU Cougars
men's cross country
UniversityBrigham Young University
Athletic directorTom Holmoe
Head coachEd Eyestone (since 2000 season)
ConferenceBig 12
LocationProvo, UT
CourseLakeside Sports Complex
NicknameCougars
ColorsBlue and white[1]
   
National championships
2019, 2024
NCAA Championship appearances
1965, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1999-2023
Conference champions
1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024

The BYU Cougars men's cross country team represents BYU in the Big 12 Conference. Coached by Ed Eyestone since the 2000 season, the program has won one national championship in 2019. BYU runners have won the individual NCAA title four times: Eyestone in 1984, Josh Rohatinsky in 2006, and Conner Mantz in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. From 2011 to 2022, the Cougars were part of the West Coast Conference, and were conference champions 10 out of their 12 seasons. BYU joined the Big 12 Conference in 2023, and won the conference title and the 2024 national championship.

History

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Cross country originated at BYU as an informal competition, technically classified as a long distance running event for the track and field team. Clarence Robison, an experienced collegiate and Olympic long distance runner, became the track and field coach in 1950. Robison's experience and interest in long distance running led to the growing popularity of cross country both in track and field and as its own sport.[2]: 446–447  Competitions in cross country were often held jointly with the track and field team. In 1962, Sherald James, who had competed as part of the BYU track team,[3] was added to the track and field coaching staff, with his primary responsibility being the cross country team. He helped cultivate the popularity of the program and cross country as an event in track and field.[2]: 447  From 1962 to 1998, the Cougars were led by James as they completed in the Western Athletic Conference, where the Cougars won 12 conference championships, and Ed Eyestone won an individual NCAA championship in 1984 with a time of 29:28.8.[4] Starting in 1999, the Cougars competed in the Mountain West Conference.[5]

In 2000, Ed Eyestone became the program's head coach.[3] In 2006, Josh Rohatinsky won the individual NCAA title with a time of 30:44.9.[6] Starting with the 2011 season, the Cougars switched to the West Coast Conference.[5] In 2019, the Cougars were ranked 3rd entering NCAA championships, but defeated #1 NAU, the pre-meet favorites, 109 to 163. BYU's Conner Mantz was third overall, while Danny Carney and Jacob Heslington both earned All-American honors, finishing 17th and 21st respectively.[4] In 2023, BYU's first season as part of the Big 12 Conference, the Cougars placed second at the Big 12 Championship,[7][8] and third at nationals, behind NAU and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. BYU's top runners were James Corrigan and Kenneth Rooks, who placed 32nd and 35th respectively.[9] In 2024, #2 BYU defeated #1 Oklahoma State 41 to 52 to win their first ever men's Big 12 Conference title in any sport.[10] They went on to defeat Iowa State to claim their second national title.[11]


Rivals

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Since the late 2010s, NAU and BYU have been rivals in cross country. NAU defeated BYU in the 2018 Championship, and the following year BYU defeated NAU in the 2019 Championship. The rivalry has been considered "the best in a long time" and "the greatest in NCAA cross country history."[12][13][14]

NCAA Championship results

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Year Coach Place Points
2023 Ed Eyestone 3rd 196
2022 3rd 132
2021 7th 246
2020 7th 254
2019 1st 109
2018 2nd 116
2017 3rd 165
2016 7th 247
2014 16th 437
2013 4th 267
2012 6th 245
2011 4th 203
2010 18th 414
2009 17th 468
2008 9th 310
2007 22nd 469
2004 5th 267
2003 19th 447
2002 16th 443
2001 12th 368
2000 23rd 541
1999 Sherald James 30th 717
1995 10th 254
1993 2nd 153
1989 11th 327
1985 18th 399
1984 15th 353
1977 5th 235
1976 4th 182
1975 7th 292
1974 13th 351
1972 8th 229
1970 16th 458
1967 9th 216
1965 12th 289
1964 5th 136

Notable athletes

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Individual national championships (4)

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Year Athlete Time
1984 Ed Eyestone 29:29.8
2006 Josh Rohatinsky 30:44.9
2020 Conner Mantz 29.26.1
2021 Conner Mantz 28:33.1
Pekka Vasala at the 1972 Olympics
Jared Ward at the 2016 Olympics
Conner Mantz at the 2024 Olympics

Olympians

Athlete Olympics Event Place
Clarence Robison United States 1948 5000m DNF
Usaia Sotutu Fiji 1972 3000m steeple 14th
5000m 58th (h)
1000m DNF
Pekka Vasala Finland 1972 1500m 1st
Lasse Viren Finland 1972 5000m 1st
10000m 1st
Marathon 5th
1976 5000m 1st
10000m 1st
1980 10000m 5th
Henry Marsh United States 1976 3000m steeple 10th
1980 3000m steeple DNC
1984 3000m steeple 4th
1988 3000m steeple 6th
Paul Cummings United States 1984 5000m 7th
Doug Padilla United States 1984 5000m 7th
1988 5000m 20th (h)
Ed Eyestone United States 1988 Marathon 29th
1992 Marathon 13th
Jason Pyrah United States 1996 1500m H3 9th
2000 1500m 10th
Josh McAdams United States 2008 3000m steeple H3 9th
Jared Ward United States 2016 Marathon 6th
Conner Mantz United States 2024 Marathon 8th
Clayton Young United States 2024 Marathon 9th
Rory Linkletter Canada 2024 Marathon 47th
Kenneth Rooks United States 2024 3000m steeple 2nd
James Corrigan United States 2024 3000m steeple H1 10th

References

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  1. ^ "Colors". Brigham Young University Publications and Graphics. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Wilkinson, Ernest L.; Arrington, Leonard J., eds. (1975). Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years (3 ed.). Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press. ISBN 0-8425-0708-6. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Walch, Tad (May 21, 2000). "Future blurry for BYU's James". The Daily Herald. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Men's Cross Country National Champions
  5. ^ a b Men's Cross Country Year By Year
  6. ^ Provo Daily Herald | 2006-11-21 | Page 13
  7. ^ No. 3-ranked BYU cross-country teams headline NCAA regionals this week
  8. ^ NO. 3 COUGARS FINISH SECOND AT BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
  9. ^ BYU men's team finishes third again in NCAA cross-country championships
  10. ^ Official results
  11. ^ BYU sweeps cross country NCAA team championships
  12. ^ "BYU vs. NAU Looking Like One Of The Best NCAA XC Match-Ups In A Long Time". Citius Mag. 2017-10-17. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  13. ^ Collaboration, T. S. R. (2019-11-23). "The Group Chat: D1 Nationals Reactions". The Stride Report. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  14. ^ NAU/BYU Rivalry Returns And A Nico Young Debut?, retrieved 2021-02-24
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