Women’s Cross Country Ranked No. 6, Men's No. 2 in National Coaches Preseason Poll

NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USFTCCCA) ranked the BYU men’s team No. 2 in the nation and the women’s team No. 6 in its preseason national rankings released on Tuesday.

For the second year in a row and 12th-consecutive week overall, the BYU men’s team comes in ranked No. 2 in the nation. Last season they finished second at the 2018 NCAA Cross Country National Championship meet behind Northern Arizona University, which has won three-straight national championships. The Cougars are also second to the Lumberjacks in the USTFCCCA’s Mountain Region ranking.

The women’s team received their highest preseason ranking in 13 years, coming in at No. 6. After being ranked No. 16 in last year’s preseason rankings, BYU has vaulted all the way to No. 6 after finishing seventh at the 2018 NCAA Cross Country National Championship meet. The Cougars received one first-place vote behind the University of Colorado (6 votes) and the University of New Mexico (4 votes). BYU is ranked third behind Colorado and New Mexico in a crowded USTFCCCA Mountain Region.

The Cougars return many key contributors to their teams, including four All-Americans. For the men, they bring back All-Americans Conner Mantz and Clayson Shumway, who placed 10th and 32nd at nationals last season. BYU also returns five All-West Coast Conference (WCC) runners in Mantz, Shumway, Jacob Heslington, Brayden McLelland and Zac Jacklin.

The women’s team has the privilege of returning all seven of their top runners from last year’s No. 7 team, including All-Americans Courtney Wayment and Erica Birk-Jarvis. Both placed in the top-25 at nationals last year, with Birk-Jarvis finishing seventh and Wayment 23rd. The Cougars also return six All-WCC runners in Birk-Jarvis, Wayment, Olivia Hoj, Anna Camp-Bennett, Sara Musselman and Aubrey Frentheway. They also welcome back standout runner Whittni Orton who is returning from injury after racing in just two meets last season.

BYU cross country begins its season this Saturday, Aug. 31, with the women’s team competing in the Big Wave Invitational in Kahuku, Hawaii. Both teams will host the BYU Autumn Classic on Sept. 14, at East Bay Golf Course to kick off the 2019 season. The USTFCCCA’s complete national and regional rankings can be found on ustfccca.org.