No. 6/11 Cougars send distance squads to Stanford

PROVO, Utah – The No. 6/11 BYU track and field team will compete this week at Stanford’s Payton Jordan Invitational and the Weber State Twilight meet.

“We’re looking to improve on marks set earlier in the season while having some athletes run in events they haven’t competed in this season,” BYU head coach Ed Eyestone said. “It’s about running fast times. It’s a good time for these athletes to go out there and get times that will earn them a spot at the NCAA regional meet.”

The Cougars will send a squad of distance athletes to compete at the Payton Jordan Invitational on Thursday, May 2. A BYU squad primarily comprised of throwers will head to the Weber State Twilight, May 1-2.

All-Americans Rory Linkletter and Connor McMillan will run their first 10,000m race of the season. The two seniors already have probable regional-qualifying times in the 5000m this year and will look to run qualifying times in the 10,000m. McMillan earned first-team All-America honors in the 5000m this year after taking fourth at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships.  Last year, both Linkletter and McMillan advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in both 5000m and 10,000m.

After already being positioned to qualify for the NCAA West Prelims in the 10,000m, All-Americans Conner Mantz and Clayton Young will make their season debut in the 5000m. Both athletes qualified for the 5000m at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships. Young took third in the championship race and was named a first-team All-American while Mantz received second-team All-America honors after placing 10th.

Follow @BYUTFXC on Twitter for live team updates from both meets. The Payton Jordan Invitational will be streamed live on FloTrack.org. Live results for both meets will be available on the BYU track and field schedule page by the start of each meet.

Notables:

• The BYU women’s team currently has the top-ranked 800m, 1500m and 3000m steeplechase squads according to USTFCCCA
• The BYU men’s team currently has the top-ranked 3000m steeplechase, 10,000m, and decathlon squads according to the USTFCCCA
• Conner Mantz ranks as the No. 1 men's 10,000m runner in the NCAA (28:18.18)