Men's Track and Field Season Review

PROVO, Utah — BYU men’s track and field continued its tradition of excellence during a 2022 season filled with All-American honors, program top-10 marks and conference championship performances.

The Cougars totaled 17 All-American honors, including four First Team citations over the course of both indoor and outdoor seasons. These All-Americans combined to help the Cougars reach a season-high spot of No. 4 in the USTFCCCA rankings and tie for second in men’s national entries with Florida, Florida State and Oklahoma.

"One of the things I was most happy about this season was the number of qualifiers we had to nationals," said BYU director of track and field Ed Eyestone. "We did an outstanding job of getting people qualified from events across the board. Our theme this year was to "Show Up" and I thought we did an excellent job of that in our preparation for and performances at the West Preliminary and National Championships."  

Zach McWhorter’s already prolific BYU pole vaulting career soared to new heights in 2022 as the sophomore aerialist broke his own school record three times and finished sixth at outdoor nationals on his way to earning First Team All-American honors in both indoor and outdoor seasons. McWhorter was twice named USTFCCCA Men’s National Athlete of the Week following school record-breaking performances on Dec. 10 and Feb. 4. The Springdale, Arkansas native finished the season atop BYU’s indoor and outdoor pole vault records with marks of 5.85m/19-2.25 and 5.76m/18-10.75, respectively.

While McWhorter finished indoor national runner-up, his 5.85m clearance remained the top Division I mark of the men’s 2022 indoor season. An MPSF individual championship and spot on the MPSF All-Academic Team filled his resume as well.

Junior Caleb Witsken joined McWhorter in the Cougars’ pole vaulting success. Witsken earned Second Team All-American honors and the No. 3 clearances in BYU history during both indoor and outdoor campaigns.

Colten Yardley continued to showcase his all-purpose sprinting capabilities as a senior in 2022.

In a matter of hours on May 27, Yardley anchored the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m squads while also competing in the 400m hurdles quarterfinal. Yardley would earn national qualifying times with the 4x100m relay team and as an individual 400m hurdler. At 49.60, Yardley’s quarterfinal 400m hurdles time was good for No. 3 in BYU history.

The Clinton, Utah native would wrap up the season as Second Team All-American hurdler and help the 4x100 team to an Honorable Mention All-American honor. Yardley concludes his Cougar career as a seven-time All-American across four different events.

Despite being just a year removed from full-time missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kenneth Rooks returned to and exceeded his pre-mission steeplechase capabilities. The sophomore from Walla Walla, Washington set three personal-bests during the season, with two coming in each of his last two races. Rooks clocked an 8:22.56 to finish sixth in the men’s steeplechase final; enough to garner First Team All-American.

Prior to his mission, Rooks took 11th in the 2019 men’s steeplechase championship. Rooks finishes the season less than a second away from surpassing four-time Olympian Henry Marsh’s steeplechase school record.

Freshman mid-distance runner Sebastian Fernandez didn’t allow his walk-on status to limit him in 2022. After failing to make the team in April 2021, the Andover, Minnesota native succeeded a year later and didn’t look back.

Fernandez burst onto the scene at the BYU Cougar Invitational on May 14, recording an 800m finish of 1:47.03, No. 5 all-time at BYU and sufficient to break a 33-year-old Robison Track and Field facility record. The late-season time also qualified Fernandez for the NCAA West Preliminary where he succeeded in advancing to nationals and finishing the season as a Second Team All-American.

Sophomore distance runner Casey Clinger advanced to nationals and took home Second Team All-American honors in both the 5000 and 10,000m. Clinger’s highlight of the season came at the Bryan Clay Invitational on April 14 in which he broke Conner Mantz’s 5000m school record while still in its infancy. Junior Brandon Garnica joined Clinger with a 10,000m Second Team All-American citation.

Junior multi athlete Dallin Vorkink ends 2022 with the No. 4 all-time scores at BYU in both heptathlon and decathlon. With 7,894 points at the BYU Cougar Invitational, Vorkink qualified for his second-straight nationals’ appearance. The Kirksville, Missouri native would finish with outdoor Second Team All-American honors in addition to the MPSF Heptathlon Championship he won during indoor season.

Vorkink’s heptathlon title was only one of nine individual MPSF titles the Cougars won on route to their third consecutive indoor team championship at the MPSF’s annual meet on Feb. 18-19 in Spokane, Washington.  

While BYU’s veterans rolled in the honors, its freshmen showed promise as well. Spencer Carlile, Zach Erikson, Jace Jensen and Joey Nokes each contributed to MPSF indoor championships and qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary.

Despite scoring only eight points at both indoor and outdoor nationals, the Cougars’ consistency and momentum is illustrated in its 17 All-American honors. In 2022, BYU recorded its 13th all-time season with 10 or more All-Americans and sixth with at least 15. Four of the last six seasons have seen the Cougars post 15 or more All-Americans.

Six individual All-Americans will return for the Cougars in 2023 along with three of four sprinters from the 4x100 squad.