Cougars rack up 18 All-America awards

PROVO, Utah – The BYU track and field team had 16 athletes receive a total of 18 All-America honors at the conclusion of the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

The Cougars collected a total of 10 All-America First Team accolades between the men's and women's teams. The men’s team had six athletes receive first-team honors and the women’s team secured four first-team honors. To be named to the All-America First Team by the NCAA, athletes must finish in the top eight at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Clayton Young and Conner Mantz were named first-team All-Americans in both the 5000m and 10,000m. Young won the 10,000m and took sixth in the 5000m while Mantz placed fourth in the 10,000m and seventh in the 5000m. After being named to the All-America First Team for finishing third in the 5000m and sixth in the 3000m at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships, Young has been named a first-team All-American a combined four times between the 2019 indoor and outdoor seasons. The NCAA 10,000m champion becomes the first Cougar to receive first-team honors four times in one year.

Connor McMillan and Matt Owens both received first-team honors. McMillan took third in the 10,000m while Owens finished eighth in the steeplechase. McMillan will finish his track and field career at BYU having been named a track and field All-American six times.

Brenna Porter in the 400m hurdles and Erica Birk-Jarvis in the steeplechase both took fifth place in their respective events to receive first-team honors. With this season's accomplishment, Porter concludes her career at BYU as a four-time All-American. Anna Camp-Bennett and Whittni Orton both placed eighth in the 800m and 1500m, respectively, to earn the recognition.

BYU track and field also had eight athletes named second-team All-Americans. These athletes finished between ninth and 16th in their events at the NCAA Championships.

Clayson Shumway, Kenneth Rooks and Jacob Heslington finished 10-12 in the steeplechase to receive the honors. Talem Franco and Brian Matthews were named second-team All-Americans after they both placed 11th in the 1500m and decathlon, respectively. Rory Linkletter took 15th in the 10,000m to be named a track and field All-American for the fifth time.

Andrea Stapleton-Johnson placed ninth in the high jump and Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes finished in 11th to earn second-team recognition. Stapleton-Johnson finished her senior season being named to an All-America team for the sixth time during her BYU career.

Athletes finishing outside the top 16 of their events were given All-America Honorable Mention honors. The Cougars had Rickey Fantroy Jr. (Triple Jump – 21st), Dallin Farnsworth (10,000m – 21st), Connor Weaver (10,000m – 23rd) and the men’s 4x400m relay team all receive honorable mention recognition. The men’s relay team consisted of Michael Bluth, Blake Ellis, Abram Schaap and Colten Yardley.

The full list of 2019 NCAA All-Americans can be found on ustfccca.org.