Sadie Sargent placed eighth in the 5,000-meter run and teammate Cierra Allphin took seventh in the high jump on the final day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday in Eugene, Oregon.
In the end, the women’s showing mirrored the showing of the men’s team. The women finished 39th in the team standings with a mere 5 1/2 points, their worst showing since 2018. The men were 40th with seven points, their worst showing since 2014.
Notwithstanding, three BYU women earned first-team All-American honors -- Sargent, Allphin and Jenna Hutchins, who finished sixth in the 10,000-meter run on Thursday night.
Hutchins recorded a time of 32:44.05 to become the second fastest in school history in the 10,000. Sargent finished with a time of 15:30.68 in the 5,000. Allphin, a senior, cleared 6 feet, 1 1/2 inches in the high jump, earning her sixth All-American certificate.
BYU’s Taylor Lovell placed ninth in the steeplechase on Saturday, one short of a scoring position. Teammate Gretchen Hoekstre placed 22nd in the discus with a throw of 166-9.
“I’m grateful for the journey and to Coach (Diljeet) Taylor for believing in me through all of these years,” said Sargent.
“All offseason I’ve been struggling to get back to those higher heights,” said Allphin, who set a school indoor record of 6-2 1/2 last winter. “I’m really happy that I could get a season-best today.”
The BYU women’s team had finished in the top 10 of the NCAA championships two of the previous three years, while the men’s team had finished in the top 10 two of the previous five years.
The collective team’s efforts this year were hampered by the redshirting of All-Americans Casey Clinger, Davin Thompson, Lexy Lowry and Meghan Hunter.
The Cougars also were without NCAA champion Kenneth Rooks, who passed up his senior year to turn pro.