BYU runners left quite a mark on this year’s Summer Olympics in Paris.
Kenneth Rooks took home a silver medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Conner Mantz and Clayton Young each finished in the top-10 in the men’s marathon. Courtney Wayment had a strong steeplechase showing, while Whittni Morgan’s miracle run took her all the way to the 5,000-meter final. James Corrigan got to compete against the world’s best while still just a college sophomore.
The stories and performances of these former and current Cougar athletes garnered plenty of interest among BYU fans across the globe, some of whom had never before been exposed to such track action.
The next Summer Games may not be until 2028, but luckily for Cougar Nation, there will still be plenty of fun on the run before then.
BYU’s cross-country and track and field programs are among the nation’s most dominant. Coaches Diljeet Taylor and Ed Eyestone have churned out speedy superstars year after year, who bring plenty of hardware home to Provo.
As a new cross-country season will soon begin, Cougar fans should familiarize themselves with Corrigan and his many talented teammates. If you enjoyed what you saw in Paris, you should start paying attention to these BYU runners.
BYU men’s cross-country 2024 schedule
- Aug. 31: Utah State Alumni Challenge (Logan, Utah)
- Sept. 13: Autumn Classic* (Lakeside Sports Complex in Orem, Utah)
- Sept. 27: Nuttycombe Invitational (Madison, Wisconsin)
- Oct. 11: Bill Dellinger Invitational (Eugene, Oregon)
*The Autumn Classic will be BYU’s lone home meet this season. Admission is free, with the men’s race beginning at 9:45 a.m.
BYU women’s cross-country 2024 schedule
- Sept. 6: Dr. Thad Scholes XC Classic (Twin Falls, Idaho)
- Sept. 13: Autumn Classic** (Lakeside Sports Complex in Orem, Utah)
- Oct. 4: Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational (Notre Dame, Indiana)
- Oct. 19: Wisconsin Pre-Nationals (Madison, Wisconsin)
**The Autumn Classic will be BYU’s lone home meet this season. Admission is free, with the start time for the women’s race still yet to be announced.
BYU men/women’s cross-country 2024 postseason schedule
- Nov. 1: Big 12 Championships (Waco, Texas).
- Nov. 15: NCAA Mountain Regional (Reno, Nevada).
- Nov. 23: NCAA Championships (Madison, Wisconsin).
Both the men and women’s teams share the same postseason dates and venues while competing in separate races.
When will BYU’s track and field schedule be released?
The men’s and women’s track and field schedules should be announced later this fall.
Generally, the indoor season begins in early December and concludes between late February-early March with the Big 12 and NCAA championships. BYU typically hosts at least one invitational at the Smith Fieldhouse during indoor season.
Outdoor season gets started in mid-March and goes to the end of April, with BYU again hosting a meet and participating in a few local competitions as well. Big 12 championships and NCAA regionals will likely take place in May, with the NCAA championships occurring in June at the University of Oregon.
Runners to watch for
While there are many more runners at BYU deserving of recognition, here are five standouts to follow this season.
Casey Clinger
An 11-time All-American selection between track and cross-country, Clinger returns to the Cougars following a 14-month injury absence. He recently finished fifth in the men’s 10,000-meter race at this summer’s U.S. Olympic Trials with a time of 27:59.71.
Riley Chamberlain
Chamberlain led BYU to a national championship in distance medley relay earlier this year and was named a first team All-American in the indoor 3,000-meter. The 2022 WCC women’s cross-country freshman of the year earned All Big-12 honors in her 2023 sophomore effort.
Lexy Halladay-Lowry
In addition to her four All-American selections, Halladay-Lowry was crowned the 2024 Big 12 indoor champion in the 3,000-meter after posting a 9:03.66.
Jenna Hutchins
Only a redshirt sophomore, Hutchins already has two All-America nods, an All Big-12 selection and has four top-six all-time finishes in program history.
James Corrigan
A master of the steeplechase, Corrigan holds both the BYU and Big 12 records in the event. He finished in 31st place at the Paris Olympics.
His best 3,000-meter steeplechase time is 8:13.87, which is the American collegiate record, as the Deseret News previously reported.