PROVO, Utah – The BYU track and field/cross country programs announced the addition of 35 incoming student-athletes as part of this year's recruiting class.
“I’m very excited about this incoming class and am confident that these new additions will go a long way in replacing those senior athletes departing,” BYU director of track and field/head cross country coach Ed Eyestone said. “We expect them to compete well at the conference, regional and national level.”
The BYU men’s program added 14 recruits while the women’s program welcomed 21 new faces. The class boasts a combined total of 18 high school state champions, including eight boy’s state champions and 10 girl’s state champions.
The recruiting class represents 13 states from around the country. The Cougars also had success recruiting internationally, signing student-athletes from Canada, Ghana and the United Kingdom.
Along with the 2020 recruiting class, BYU will welcome two student-athletes transferring from other universities and 15 student-athletes returning from serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“This recruiting class really shows the hard work that our coaches have put in over the last year,” Eyestone said. “Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, our coaches did a great job at forecasting who they wanted and signing a majority of the athletes before the pandemic even hit.”
MEN’S TEAM
ASANTE AKRONG – Sprints | Accra, Ghana
Personal Bests: 10.88 (100m)
EASTON ALLRED – Distance | Corner Canyon HS | Draper, Utah
Personal Bests: 4:05.67 (Mile), 9:08.34 (3200m)
- Fifth place at 2018 Nike Cross Nationals
- 22nd place at 2017 Nike Cross Nationals
- Back-to-back UHSAA 6A Cross Country State Championships (2018-19)
CARSON BELNAP – Distance | Stansbury HS | Stansbury, Utah
Personal Bests: 4:13.56 (1600m), 8:51.99 (3200m)
- 2019 UHSAA 4A Cross Country State Champion
- Ninth place at 2019 Nike Cross Nationals
MARK BOYLE – Distance | Corner Canyon HS | Draper, Utah
Personal Bests: 4:17.66 (1600m), 9:13.53 (3200m)
- 45th place at 2019 Nike Cross Nationals
- Back-to-back UHSAA 6A Cross Country State Championships (2018-19)
- State Runner-up at 2018 UHSAA 6A Cross Country State Championships
- Third place at 2019 UHSAA 6A Cross Country Championships
JAMES CORRIGAN – Distance | Eagle Rock HS | Los Angeles, California
Personal Bests: 9:13.80 (3200m)
- 2019 CIF Los Angeles City Section Champion
- 2018 CIF Los Angeles City Section Champion
ELI HAZLETT – Sprints | Grand County HS | Moab, Utah
Personal Bests: 11.02 (100m), 22.32 (200m), 48.06 (400m)
- Two-time UHSAA 4A State Champion (400m)
- State Runner-up at 2019 UHSAA 3A State Championships (100m & 200m)
BRAIDEN IVIE – Sprints | Emery HS | Huntington, Utah
Personal Bests: 6.82 (60m), 10.70 (100m), 21.48 (200m), 49.16 (400m)
- 2019 UHSAA 3A State Champion (100m)
- 2019 UHSAA 3A State Champion (200m)
CALEB JOHNSON – Distance | Corner Canyon HS | Draper, Utah
Personal Bests: 9:20.85 (3200m)
- State runner-up at 2019 UHSAA 6A State Cross Country Championships
- Back-to-back UHSAA 6A Cross Country State Championships (2018-19)
- Ninth place at 2019 Bob Firman Invite
KYLE LUND – Distance | Oakdale HS | Frederick, Maryland
Personal Bests: 1:52.27 (800m Flat Track), 4:16.54 (1600m)
- 2019 MPSSAA Cross Country State Champion
- Seven-time MPSSAA Track & Field State Champion
STETSON MOSS – Distance | Thunder Ridge HS | Idaho Falls, Idaho
Personal Bests: 4:16.92 (Mile), 8:39.97 (3000m)
- 11th place at 2018 Nike Cross Nationals
- 17th place at 2017 Nike Cross Nationals
KEITH MURRAY – Distance | Moorpark HS | Moorpark, California
Personal Bests: 9:13.00 (3200m)
- 2019 CIF Southern Section Cross Country Champion
- 12th place at 2019 Foot Locker West Regional
HYRUM NELSON – Distance | Chugiak HS | Chugiak, Alaska
Personal Bests: 4:15.48 (1600m), 9:23.68 (3200m)
- State Runner-up at 2019 ASAA 4A State Championships (1600m & 3200m)
- Third place at 2019 ASAA 4A State Cross Country Championships
BRINTON PAULSON – Throws | Orem HS | Orem, Utah
Personal Bests: 206-11 (Javelin Throw)
- Third place at 2019 UHSAA 3A State Championships (Javelin)
PORTER WHITWORTH – Distance | Grantsville HS | Grantsville, Utah
Personal Bests: 9:26.18 (3200m)
- 2019 UHSAA 3A Cross Country State Champion
- Eighth place at 2019 Bob Firman Invite
- 2018 UHSAA 3A Cross Country State Champion
- Fourth place at 2018 Bob Firman Invite
WOMEN’S TEAM
CAMILLA ANDAM – Jumps/Sprints | Copper Hills HS | West Jordan, Utah
Personal Bests: 18-10 (Long Jump), 12.41 (100m), 5-1 (High Jump)
- 2019 UHSAA 6A State Champion (Long Jump)
DOLITA AWALA-SHAW – Sprints | Southend HS | Grays, United Kingdom
Personal Bests: 7.69 (60m), 11.95 (100m), 24.99 (200m)
- British U20 Indoor Championships Finalist
LAYNE BOLLI – Sprints | Champion HS | Boerne, Texas
Personal Bests: 12.68 (100m), 25.42 (200m), 56.33 (400m)
- Third place at 2019 UIL 5A State Championships (400m)
- Ninth place at 2019 UIL 5A State Championships (200m)
ERICA BROIN – Jumps | Papillion-La Vista HS | Papillion, Nebraska
Personal Bests: 5-7 (High Jump)
- 2019 NSAA Class A State Champion (High Jump)
- 2018 NSAA Class A State Runner-up (High Jump)
MERI DUNFORD – Distance | Prairie HS | Prairie, Washington
Personal Bests: 4:54.99 (1600m), 10:52.21 (3200m)
- State Runner-up at 2019 WIAA State Championships (1600m)
- Third place at 2019 WIAA State Championships (3200m)
RACHEL FITT – Distance | Bishop Union HS | Bishop, California
Personal Bests: 4:55.69 (1600m), 2:13.33 (800m)
- 10th 2019 CIF State Cross Country Championships
- 20th 2019 1600m CIF State Track and Field Championships
JENNA FITZSIMMONS – Distance | Mountain Vista HS | Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Personal Bests: 2:14.28 (800m), 4:54.22 (1600m), 10:35.09 (3200m)
- 2018 CHSAA 5A Cross Country State Champion
- 2018 CHSAA 5A State Champion (1600m)
- 2018 CHSAA 5A State Champion (3200m)
LEXY HALLADAY – Distance | Mountain View HS | Boise, Idaho
Personal Bests: 4:26.59 (1500m), 4:41.80 (Mile), 10:30.80 (3000m)
- 24th place at 2018 Foot Locker Nationals
- 40th place at 2017 Nike Cross Nationals
- 16th place at 2016 Nike Cross Nationals
ERIN JOOST – Pole Vault | Chaparral HS | Parker, Colorado
Personal Bests: 12-0 (Pole Vault)
- Third place at 2019 Colorado HS State Championships (Pole Vault)
ANNA MARTIN – Distance | Lehi HS | Lehi, Utah
Personal Bests: 5:02.83 (1600m), 10:42.80 (3200m)
- 25th place at 2019 Foot Locker Nationals
- 2018 Foot Locker Nationals Finalist
- 2018 UHSAA 4A Cross Country State Champion
- 2019 UHSAA 5A Cross Country State Runner-up
CAROLINE MCLESKEY – Distance | Highland HS | Gilbert, Arizona
Personal Bests: 4:53.54 (1600m), 10:25.76 (3200m)
- State Runner-up at 2019 AIA 6A State Championships (3200m)
- Third place at 2019 AIA 6A State Championships (1600m)
MY'JAH MINTZE – Sprints | Indianapolis Cathedral HS | Indianapolis, Indiana
Personal Bests: 7.88 (60m), 12.30 (100m)
MYLEE MOON – Hurdles | Hurricane HS | Hurricane, Utah
Personal Bests: 44.18 (300H)
- State Runner-up at 2019 UHSAA 4A State Championships (300H)
SIMONE PLOURDE – Distance | Saint Laurent Select | Montreal, Canada
Personal Bests: 4:23.74 (1500m), 4:42.05 (Mile), 9:28.05 (3000m)
- 2019 CCAA Cross Country National Champion
- Third place at 2019 Canadian U20 Championships (1500m)
TAYE RAYMOND – Sprints/Jumps | Orem HS | Orem, Utah
Personal Bests: 19-4.75 (Long Jump), 12.35 (100m)
- 2019 UHSAA State Champion (Long Jump)
- Holds the UHSAA 4A state record in the long jump
HANNAH RICHARDSON – Pole Vault | Langley HS | McLean, Virginia
Personal Bests: 12-0 (Pole Vault), 17-3.5 (Long Jump)
- State Runner-up at 2020 VHSL Class 6 State Indoor T&F Championships (Pole Vault)
JESSICA ROBERTS – Hurdles | Fairland HS | Fairland, Oklahoma
Personal Bests: 14.88 (100H), 44.79 (300H), 12.58 (100m)
- 2019 OSSAA State Champion (100m)
- 2019 OSSAA State Champion (100H)
- 2019 OSSAA State Champion (300H)
SARAH ROBINSON – Sprints | South Anchorage HS | Anchorage, Alaska
Personal Bests: 12.71 (100m), 25.79 (200m)
- 2019 ASAA State Champion (100m)
- Third place at 2019 ASAA State Championships (200m)
HANNAH STETLER – Pole Vault | Bingham HS | South Jordan, Utah
Personal Bests: 12-0 (Pole Vault)
- 2019 UHSAA 6A State Champion (Pole Vault)
- Holds UHSAA 6A state record in the pole vault
ADAOBI TABUGBO – Sprints/Hurdles | Reservoir HS | Laurel, Maryland
Personal Bests: 14.15 (100H), 44.04 (300H), 12.30 (100m)
- 2020 MPSSAA 3A Indoor State Champion (55H)
- 2019 MPSSAA 3A State Champion (100H)
- 2019 MPSSAA 3A Indoor State Champion (55H)
MAYCI TORGERSON – Jumps | Cedar HS | Cedar City, Utah
Personal Bests: 5-7 (High Jump), 17-4.75 (Long Jump), 15.58 (100H), 44.65 (300H)
- 2019 UHSAA 4A State Champion (High Jump)
- Three-time UHSAA 2A State Champion
- Two-time UHSAA 4A Girls Basketball MVP
Athletes transferring to BYU:
- Elijah Armstrong – Boise State
- Nathan Burnett – New Mexico
Athletes returning from missions:
Lucas Bons – Distance
Aaron Leavens – Distance
Aidan Troutner – Distance
Dallin Draper – Sprints
Trey Jackson – Sprints
Jake Grimsman – Jumps
Sam Jarvis – Pole Vault
Dylan Kay – High Jump
Nathan Kay – High Jump
Seth MacDonald – High Jump
Jacob Veres – High Jump
Danny Bryant – Throws
Matt Kitchen – Javelin
Dexter Stephens – Throws
Kate Thomas – Hurdles