MPSF recognizes 29 BYU track and field athletes on all-academic team

PROVO, Utah — 29 BYU men’s and women’s track and field athletes were honored when the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation released its 2023 Indoor Track and Field All-Academic Teams on Thursday.

Women’s Honorees

Seven BYU women’s athletes were honored for their success in competition and the classroom by the MPSF on Thursday. Pole vaulter Cailee Faulkner won her second-consecutive MPSF individual championship with a clearance of 3.94-meter/12-11 at the title meet on Feb. 17-18 at The Podium in Spokane, Washington. Teammate Rebekah Ross took the women’s pole vault runner-up spot. Thrower Jessica Thompson joined Faulkner with an individual title as she won the conference women’s weight throw crown with a personal-best 19.98m/65-6.75. Thompson won the league’s shot-put title in 2022.

Sprinter Adaobi Tabugbo clocked 8.35 in the 60-meter hurdles, winning her second such conference crown in as many years while also taking third at 7.47 in the 60. Distance runners Meghan Hunter, Haley Johnston and Alissa Fielding were also honored for success on the track and in the classroom. Hunter finished women’s 800 runner-up at 2:10.51, while Johnston came in fifth in the 5000 at 17:11.98. Fielding finished 18th in the mile at 5:06.94.

Men's Honorees

22 BYU men's athletes were honored by the MPSF on Thursday. Of the 22, six Cougars took home MPSF titles in their respective events. Nathan Burnett's pole vault title marked the second consecutive year a BYU athlete has won the award, joining Zach McWhorter. Burnett posted a clearance of 5.20m/17-0.75 and gave the Cougars their first back-to-back indoor pole vault conference winner since 2005 and 2006.

Zach Erikson’s 5,000-meter title made him the first-ever BYU athlete to win back-to-back indoor 5000m conference championships with a time of 14:14.12. Erikson is only a sophomore, winning the award last year as a freshman. As part of the distance medley relay team, Luke Grundvig became an MPSF champion with a 9:53.05 finish. The sophomore also led all entries in the 3,000-meters at 8:23.71.

Multi-athlete Ben Barton finished atop the heptathlon with 5,693 points to surpass Curtis Pugsley for No. 2 all-time at BYU. Landon Maxfield and Jared Davis were members of the champion 4x400-meter relay team that posted a 3:09.42 time.

2023 marked the conclusion of BYU's indoor track and field competition in the MPSF. Beginning in 2024, the Cougars will compete in the Big 12.