BYU Track & Field to Compete at Indoor Nationals

PROVO, Utah — Twelve BYU athletes in 13 total entries are set to compete at the 2020 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 13-14.

“We’re confident in our national qualifiers,” BYU head coach Ed Eyestone said. “We’ve been working hard all season and the offseason, to get to this point. We’re bringing two full DMR teams with us and we have other athletes competing in open events. Our coaching staff has done a brilliant job preparing each competitor for their specific event and I’m excited to see what we can do this weekend.”

The women’s DMR (distance medley relay) team will race on Friday night. The team of Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes, Alena Ellsworth, Anna Camp-Bennett and Whittni Orton broke the Cougar school-record with a time of 10:53.95. 

Orton, an All-American, will compete in the women’s 3000m (8:49.63) on Saturday afternoon. She broke the school record in the 3000m earlier this season. Program-record-holder Elise Romney (4.31m/14’ 1.75”) will also be competing in the women’s pole vault during the second day of competition.

“We feel strongly that our women can score in each event they compete in,” Eyestone said. “I know that coach Taylor has prepared Whittni and our DMR women well and that they will be ready to go. Elise in the pole vault has been outstanding all season and it will be great to see what she can do on Saturday.”

The men’s DMR team (9:30.28) will also compete on Friday. The squad will consist of Garrett Marsing, Colten Yardley, Michael Bluth and Matt Owens. 

Jacob Heslington, currently No. 3 all-time at BYU in the 5000m (13:39.05), will be competing in the 5k on Friday. Senior Talem Franco will compete in the men’s mile preliminary race on Friday as well. Franco sits at No. 3 all-time in program history in the mile as the first Cougar since 2012 to break four minutes in the event (3:58.09).

Freshman Zach McWhorter will be vaulting on the first day of competition. McWhorter is No. 2 all-time in the pole vault in Cougar history with a mark of 5.61m/14’ 1.75.”

"Our men are ready to get out there and compete," Eyestone mentioned. "The work that they've put in this season is admirable and we believe that they will compete to the best of their abilities."

The national meet will be broadcast on ESPN3, with events beginning in the morning on Friday, March 13 and will continue until Saturday evening, March 14.