Five Cougars named first-team All-Americans by USTFCCCA

PROVO, Utah – Five BYU track and field athletes were named first-team All-Americans by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Monday.

Matt Owens (8:38.09) and Clayson Shumway (8:40.15) received first-team All-America honors in the men’s 3000m steeplechase finishing sixth and seventh, respectively, in their first appearances at the NCAA Championships. Kevin Nielsen finished his career at BYU with first-team honors after scoring the fifth-most points (7,695) in BYU history to place eighth overall in the decathlon.

Rory Linkletter took eighth in the 5000m (13:58.20) to be named a first-team All-American, giving him first-team honors in the 5000m in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Andrea Stapleton-Johnson earned first-team honors after tying for eighth in the high jump (1.78m - 5'10") making her a four-time track and field All-American.

True freshman Ashton Riner was named a second-team All-American in the javelin (50.25m - 164' 10") after concluding her first season at BYU with an 11th-place finish at the national meet. Clayton Young (14:02.17) and Connor McMillan (29:32.65) took 12th in the 5000m and 10,000m, respectively, to receive second-team All-America honors.

The BYU men’s team honorable mention All-Americans included Linkletter (10,000m), Conner Mantz (10,000), McMillan (5000m) and Young (10,000m), while the women’s team included Alyssa Dalton (100m hurdles), Whittni Orton (1500m), Cassidy Pinnock (4X400m), Brenna Porter (400m hurdles and 4X400m), Ellie Heiden-Quackenbush (4X400m) and Lauren Rawlinson (4X400m)

First-team honors were given to athletes who finished top eight in their individual events. Athletes who placed No. 9 through No. 16 were named second-team All-Americans while those who finished 17th through 24th earned honorable mention. 

The official USTFCCCA release and full list of All-America honorees can be found on USTFCCCA.org.