BYU Cougars men's cross country

Last updated
BYU Cougars
men's cross country
BYU Cougars logo.svg
University Brigham Young University
Athletic director Brian Santiago
Head coach Ed Eyestone (since 2000 season)
Conference Big 12
Location Provo, UT
CourseLakeside Sports Complex
Nickname Cougars
ColorsBlue and white [1]
   
National championships
2019, 2024
NCAA Championship appearances
1965, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1999-2024
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 is the men's college cross country program representing Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. The Cougars began competing in 1961, and have won 32 conference championships and 2 national championships (2019 and 2024). BYU competes in the Big 12 Conference.

Contents

History

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]

Athletes

BYU jersey of 1971 All-American Richard Reid Richard Reid jersey (40886022104).jpg
BYU jersey of 1971 All-American Richard Reid

BYU's men's cross country program has produced 39 All-Americans, [12] including one five-time awardee (Casey Clinger) [13] and one four-time awardee (Conner Mantz).

Three of its athletes have won individual national championships: Ed Eyestone (1984), Josh Rohatinsky (2006), and Conner Mantz (2020, 2021).

Several athletes have gone on to complete professionally, and 14 have competed in the Olympic Games, including four-time gold medalist Lasse Virén and one-time gold medalist Pekka Vasala. [14] [15]

Results by season

Statistics overview
YearCoachConferenceNational
Sherald James(Western Athletic Conference)(1962-1998)
1962Sherald James2nd—
1963Sherald James6th—
1964Sherald James1st5th
1965Sherald James2nd12th
1966Sherald James5th—
1967Sherald James1st19th
1968Sherald James5th—
1969Sherald James2nd—
1970Sherald James2nd16th
1971Sherald James1st—
1972Sherald James1st8th
1973 Sherald James2nd—
1974 Sherald James2nd13th
1975 Sherald James2nd7th
1976 Sherald James2nd4th
1977 Sherald James3rd5th
1978 Sherald James4th—
1979 Sherald James3rd—
1980 Sherald James2nd—
1981 Sherald James3rd—
1982 Sherald James2nd—
1983 Sherald James2nd—
1984 Sherald James1st—
1985 Sherald James1st9th
1986 Sherald James2nd—
1987 Sherald James2nd—
1988 Sherald James2nd—
1989 Sherald James1st11th
1990 Sherald James1st—
1991 Sherald James2nd—
1992 Sherald James2nd—
1993 Sherald James1st2nd
1994 Sherald James2nd—
1995 Sherald James1st10th
1996 Sherald James2nd—
1997 Sherald James1st—
1998 Sherald James1st—
Sherald James(Mountain West Conference)(1999)
1999 Sherald James30th—
Ed Eystone (Mountain West Conference)(2000-2010)
2000 Ed Eystone1st23rd
2001 Ed Eystone1st12th
2002 Ed Eystone1st16th
2003 Ed Eystone2nd19th
2004 Ed Eystone1st5th
2005 Ed Eystone1st13th
2006 Ed Eystone1st11th
2007 Ed Eystone1st22nd
2008 Ed Eystone1st9th
2009 Ed Eystone2nd17th
2010 Ed Eystone2nd18th
Ed Eystone (West Coast Conference)(2011-2022)
2011 Ed Eystone1st4th
2012 Ed Eystone2nd6th
2013 Ed Eystone1st4th
2014 Ed Eystone2nd16th
2015 Ed Eystone1st12th
2016 Ed Eystone1st7th
2017 Ed Eystone1st3rd
2018 Ed Eystone1st2nd
2019 Ed Eystone1st1st
2020 Ed Eystone1st7th
2021 Ed Eystone1st7th
2022 Ed Eystone1st3rd
Ed Eystone (Big 12 Conference)(2023-present)
2023 Ed Eystone1st3rd
2024 Ed Eystone1st1st
2025 Ed Eystone4th11th

      National champion        Conference champion  

References

  1. ↑ "Colors". Brigham Young University Publications and Graphics. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  2. 1 2 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. 1 2 Walch, Tad (May 21, 2000). "Future blurry for BYU's James". The Daily Herald. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Men's Cross Country National Champions
  5. 1 2 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. ↑ "All-Americans". BYU. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  13. ↑ Ehler, Matthew. "'I'm hungry': BYU All-American runner breaks 25K record at 48th Amway River Bank Run". Michigan Live. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  14. ↑ "Lasse Viren Profile". Racing Past. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  15. ↑ "Gold Medalists Return to BYU". Desert Sun. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
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