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BYU’s men and women head for the NCAA preliminaries in College Station, Texas where they are expected to make an impact as one of the top track and field teams in the country. The COVID-19 year has been filled with athletes posting national victories and top times in the country and world.
The Cougars are especially deep and talented in distance running, a specialty of the program’s head coach, former Olympian Ed Eyestone.
Whittni Orton is fresh off a 5,000-meter performance in California where she broke BYU’s school record by a whopping 25 seconds. Courtney Wayment is proving she may be one of the best 3,000-meter steeplechase runners in school history as national champion. Doug Robinson explores just how Wayment is following in the footsteps of her talented father in this piece.
Cougar Insider predictions
Question of the week: School records fall, personal records soar. What is it about Ed Eyestone’s track and field program that is clicking and why?
Jay Drew: Ed Eyestone has built a phenomenal culture at BYU within the track and field program. I am also impressed with the work of associate director of track and cross-country, Diljeet Taylor. I am amazed that BYU is able to hold onto such talented coaches.
I’ve only talked to Eyestone a couple of times, but I always go away from our conversations thoroughly impressed with his zeal for the sport and his love and admiration for his athletes. Same with Taylor.
I’m not sure what their secret sauce is, but it works — year after year after year. Look for the Cougars to do more great things next month at the NCAA meet. They’ve got some phenomenal athletes on the squad this year.
Dick Harmon: Recruiting, recruiting, then more recruiting. BYU’s track and field program has proven the adage that 80% of college athletics is recruiting. Ed Eyestone has used his podium as a former Olympian to sell his ideas and coaching acumen and he has turned the program into an All-American machine with national competitors.
I think both he and Diljeet Taylor have so much passion for the sport and such love for those they work with that it becomes a real force in the lives of the performers. They’ve proved it in their training and performances. It is really quite remarkable to see as a consistent product year after year.
Cougar tales
BYU softball has become the Gonzaga basketball of the sport in the West Coast Conference with its 12th straight conference title. The team will move to the NCAA regionals in Tempe this weekend, playing Virginia Tech first, then Illinois. Here’s the schedule and times.
In baseball, former walk-on Andrew Pintar has worked his way into the leading hitter for the Cougars. Here is a piece on how he did it by Jeff Call.
Former Cougar Elijah Bryant is getting his chance with the Milwaukee Bucks after being called up from his team in Israel. He scored 16 points in his first NBA game this season.
From the archives
From the Twitterverse
Extra points
Could Brady Christensen start first game? (Deseret News)
Wilson’s No. 2 draft huge for BYU, will it continue? (Deseret News)
Gabi Garcia ready to turn professional (Daily Universe)
Fanalyst
Comments from Deseret News readers
Rex was a freshman. If he continues to produce, he’ll be on this list at some point.
Also, it was COVID, and Rex had his production against really easy teams. Perhaps PFF is not sure if it was a one and done season for Rex, or even BYU.
It’s more that he’s a freshman, but they do look at other factors. Rex is good. Probably the best offensive player on BYU’s team, honestly. He’ll get his recognition.
What I think is hilarious, is that this article exists because Kuithe from Utah was on the PFF top 5 list. So, in BYU fan fashion, Harmon tries to show that something at BYU is as good. This is a constant effort by local media and BYU fans. And very entertaining.
Keep it up. We love it.
— ArizonaUte
Up next
May 20 | 6 p.m. | Baseball | vs. Pepperdine | @Provo
May 20 | 4:30 pm | Softball | NCAA Regional, vs. Va Tech | @Tempe, Arizona
May 21 | 6 p.m. | Baseball | vs. Pepperdine | @Provo
May 21 | TBA | Softball | NCAA Regional, vs. Illinois | @Tempe, Arizona
May 22 | 1 p.m. | Baseball | vs. Pepperdine | @Provo
May 27-29 | TBA | Track and field | NCAA West Regional | @College Station, Texas