SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The BYU men’s Cross Country team impressively scored 67 points, securing a second-place finish and qualifying for the NCAA National Championship on Friday morning.
Freshman standout Tayvon Kitchen showcased his talent by finishing alongside senior teammate Davin Thompson, respectively claiming the fifth and sixth overall spots with times of 30:09.6 and 30:09.7. Sophomore Noah Jenkins contributed to the team’s success by crossing the finish line as the third runner for BYU, earning a top-ten finish overall in 30:15.3.
Sophomore Max Davis and senior James Corrigan further bolstered the team’s performance by finishing 21st and 25th overall, clocking in at 30:44.0 and 30:56.9.
Reflecting on the team’s achievement, head coach Ed Eyestone shared, “The Regional meet is about qualifying for the national meet. We did just that, and actually we came in wanting to run easy and take third or fourth. We exceeded that goal by taking second to secure the automatic berth.” He emphasized the significance of momentum gained from recent competitions, particularly after the Big 12 championship two weeks prior.
With their strong showing, all five scoring runners from BYU finished within the top 25, earning All-Region honors in the Mountain Region.
The team will now head to Columbia, Missouri, for the NCAA National Championship slated for November 22nd at 10:10 a.m. CT, with streaming available on ESPNU. This marks a significant opportunity for the Cougars to demonstrate their prowess on a national stage, as they carry the momentum from their regional success into the championship event.