BYU sweeps WCC postseason cross country honors

SAN MATEO, Calif. – While the cross country season is long over, BYU men’s and women’s cross country continues to stand atop the WCC with a sweep of its postseason honors, the league announced Thursday.

The Cougars also swept the men’s and women’s WCC titles at the conference championship meet in Concord, California on Oct. 29.

WCC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Whittni Orton

WCC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year: Diljeet Taylor

WCC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Conner Mantz

WCC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year: Ed Eyestone

Orton led the WCC women’s championship 6k from start to finish, ultimately winning her second individual conference title with a time of 20:01.0. The senior from Panguitch, Utah paved the way to the team’s fourth-straight WCC Championship with a winning total of 21 points. Orton would go on to win the program’s first ever individual national title in November.

With four consecutive WCC titles has come four consecutive WCC Coach of the Year honors for BYU women’s cross country head coach Diljeet Taylor. Taylor’s success has blossomed onto the national scale as well, with her 2020 team winning the national title and coming in runner-up in both 2021 and 2019.

Before repeating as individual national champion in November, Mantz clocked a 23:01.0 in the men’s 8k as he led BYU to its seventh straight WCC Championship. With the win, the senior from Smithfield, Utah became the first BYU men’s cross country runner in program history to win three career individual conference titles.

Mantz also finished his BYU career as a four-time All-WCC First Team selection.

This award marks the 14th conference coach of the year honor for BYU men’s cross country head coach Ed Eyestone. In 22 seasons leading the Cougars, Eyestone has guided his teams to 17 conference championships, including a dominant nine in 11 seasons as members of the WCC.