PROVO, Utah – The BYU track and field and cross country programs announced the addition of28 incoming student-athletes as part of the 2021 recruiting class on Friday.
"We are looking forward to one of our best recruiting classes ever," said BYU director of track and field and men's cross country head coach Ed Eyestone. "Our coaches have been working overtime to ensure that our amazing graduating All-Americans will be replaced by this crop of talented newcomers."
The BYU men’s program added 12 recruits while the women’s program welcomed 16 new faces. This year's recruiting class represents 11 different states from around the country and includes one signee from New Zealand.
Each recruit in the 2021 class arrives at BYU following a decorated high school career. The Cougars' class boasts a combined total of 18 high school state champions, including seven boy’s state champions and 11 girl’s state champions. The BYU women's signees alone tout 41 combined individual high school state championships.
"I’m very excited about this freshman class," said BYU associate director of track and field and women's cross country head coach Diljeet Taylor. "There is talent, depth and passion. I’m looking forward to these women joining the sisterhood. We are all eager to get to work."
Two high school 800m national champions will join the BYU men's program in signees Austin Klingler and Jake Orr. Klingler claimed the indoor 800m high school title at the 2021 Adidas National Indoor Championships and Orr took first in the event at the 2021 National Scholastic Athletics Foundation Outdoor Nationals.
Along with the 2021 recruiting class, BYU will welcome10 student-athletes returning from serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"I have every reason to believe that we will continue to lead the nation in regional qualifiers in track and field and push for team podium finishes in both cross country and track and field in the years to come," Eyestone said.
BYU men's and women's cross country opens the 2021 season with the Autumn Classic at the Timpanogos Golf Club in Provo, Utah on Saturday, Sept. 11.
MEN'S TEAM
SPENCER CARLILE – Hurdles | Dixie HS | St. George, Utah
Personal Bests: 14.47 (110H), 37.67 (300H)
- Utah 4A 300H champion (2021)
- Utah 4A 300H champion (2019)
- Utah 4A 110H runner-up (2021)
BEN CONLIN – Distance | Rampart HS | Colorado Springs, Colorado
Personal Bests: 4:29 (1600m), 9:29 (3200m)
- Colorado 5A cross country runner-up (2020)
- Finished 22nd at Nike Cross Southwest (2019)
- Named to Colorado All-State First Team (2020)
- Will serve mission prior to enrolling at BYU
BRAYDEN DAHL – Hurdles | Highland HS | Gilbert, Arizona
Personal Bests: 14.35 (110H), 37.44 (300H)
- Arizona 6A 110H champion (2021)
- Arizona 6A 300H runner-up (2021)
- Arizona 6A 110H & 300H champion (2019)
- Will serve mission prior to enrolling at BYU
AUSTIN KLINGLER – Mid Distance/Sprints | West Jordan HS | West Jordan, Utah
Personal Bests: 21.79 (200m), 47.49 (400m), 1:50.61 (800m), 4:19 (1600m)
- Finished first in 800m at 2021 Adidas Indoor Nationals
- 2021 Gatorade Utah Boys Track & Field Player of the Year
- Utah 6A 400m & 800m champion (2021)
DALTON MORTENSEN – Distance | Bountiful HS | Bountiful Utah
Personal Bests: 4:24 (1600m), 9:27 (3200m), 14:54 (5000m)
- Finished fifth at Footlocker West Regionals (2019)
- Back-to-back Utah 5A cross country Champion (2019, 2020)
- Finished ninth at Nike Cross Southwest Regionals (2019)
JAKE ORR – Distance | Corner Canyon HS | Draper, Utah
Personal Bests: 49.84 (400m), 1:52.08 (800m)
- NSAF 800m National Champion (2021)
- Utah 6A 4x800 champion (2021)
- Utah 6A 800m runner-up (2021)
BRAYDEN PACKARD – Distance | American Fork HS | American Fork, Utah
Personal Bests: 49.48 (400m), 1:51.23 (800m), 4:12.10 (Mile)
- Named First Team All-American at RunningLane Track and Field Championships (2021)
- Named Second Team All-American at RunningLane Track and Field Championships (2020)
- Utah 6A 4x400 champion (2021)
- Will serve mission prior to enrolling at BYU
CONNOR SAUNDERS – Jumps, Throws | Syracuse HS | Syracuse, Utah
Personal Bests: 2.13m/7-0 (HJ), 6.40m/21-0 (LJ), 42.67m/140-0 (DT)
- Utah 6A HJ runner-up (2021)
- Named Utah 6A First Team All-State and All-Region 1 (2021)
- Utah 6A Region 1 HJ champion (2021)
- Will serve mission prior to enrolling at BYU
CREED THOMPSON – Distance | Skyridge HS | Lehi, Utah
Personal Bests: 4:15 (1600m), 9:10 (3200m)
- Named RunningLane First Team All-American (2020)
- Named Utah Gatorade Boy's Cross Country Player of the Year (2020)
- Finished runner-up at RunningLane XC National Championship (2020)
DAVIN THOMPSON – Distance | Skyridge HS | Lehi, Utah
Personal Bests: 4:17 (1600m), 9:11 (3200m)
- Finished 10th at RunningLane National Championships (2020)
- Finished third at Utah 6A Cross Country State Championships (2020)
- Finished 23rd at Footlocker Nationals (2019)
PEYTON WILLIAMS – Throws | Desert Hills HS | St. George, Utah
Personal Bests: 18.28m/60-0 (SP), 53.62m/175-11
- Utah 4A SP & DT champion (2021)
- Utah 4A Region 9 SP & DT champion (2021)
- Led Desert Hills boy's track and field to state titles in 2019 & 2021
JACK WOODS – Distance | Cedar Park HS | Cedar Park, Texas
Personal Bests: 4:15.26 (1600m), 9:19.54 (3200m)
- Finished 16th at Woodbridge Classic (2019)
- Named Texas 5A All-Stat First Team (2020)
- Finished 32nd at Nike Cross South Regionals (2019)
WOMEN’S TEAM
CARMEN ALDER – Distance | Pinecrest HS | Southern Pines, North Carolina
Personal Bests: 4:26 (1500m), 4:43 (Mile), 9:31 (3000m), 10:07 (3200m)
- Three-time (2019, 2020, 2021) North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year
- Four time (2017, 2018, 2029, 2021) North Carolina 4A Cross Country State Champion
- 2020 North Carolina 4A Indoor 1600m & 3200m State Champion
ELIZA ARRINGTON – Distance | Lone Peak HS | Highland, Utah
Personal Bests: 2:17.19 (800m), 4:56.7 (1600m), 11:01.4 (3200m)
- 2019 Utah 6A Cross Country & 1600m State Champion
- 2019 Utah Gatorade Athlete of the Year
- Finished third in the 800m and seventh in the 1600m at the 2021 Utah 6A State Championships
ALLI BAKER – Mid Distance | Pine View HS | Washington, Utah
Personal Bests: 57.66 (400m), 2:08.76 (800m), 5:00.51 (1600m)
- 2021 Utah 4A 4x800m State Champion
- 2021 Utah 4A 400m State Champion
- 2021 & 2019 Utah 4A 800m State Champion
LIZZIE DILDINE – Distance | Eagle HS | Eagle, Idaho
Personal Bests: 2:14 (800m), 4:58 (1600m), 7:14 (2000m Steeplechase), 17:34 (5000m)
- Four-time (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) Idaho 5A State Cross Country Champion
- Finished third in the 1600m at the 2021 Idaho 5A State Championships
- Finished third in the 800m and 1600m at 2021 Idaho 5A Districts
REAGAN GARDNER – Distance | Lone Peak HS | Highland, Utah
Personal Bests: 5:05 (1600m), 10:47 (3200m), 17:49 (5K)
- Helped lead team to Utah 6A Cross Country State Championships in 2021, 2020 and 2018
- Finished second in the 3200m at the 2021 Utah 6A State Championships
- Finished 15th at Nike XC Regionals and 53rd Nike XC Nationals
EMMA JOHNSON – Sprints | Lake Travis HS | Austin, Texas
Personal Bests: 8.01 (60m), 11.95 (100m), 26.64 (200m), 3.25m/10-8 (Pole Vault)
- Finished sixth in the 4x400m at the 2021 Texas 6A State Championships
- 2021 4x400m Regional & Area Champion
- Holds school records in the 100m, 400m relay, 800m relay and 1600m relay
LOGANN LAWS – Javelin | Cedar City HS | Cedar City, Utah
Personal Bests: 44.70m/146-8 (Javelin)
- 2021 All-State
- 2021 & 2019 Utah 4A Javelin State Champion
- 2021 & 2019 Region 9 Javelin Champion
JAYDA LEE – Throws/Jumps | Glencoe HS | Hillsboro, Oregon
Personal Bests: 47.70m/156-6 (Discus), 12.64m/41-6 (Shot Put), 1.62m/5-4 (High Jump)
- 2021 Oregon 6A Shot Put & Discus Champion
- Finished fifth in the high jump at the 2021 Oregon 6A State Championships
- Holds school records for the high jump and discus
MADDIE LEMPKA – Jumps | Shelley HS | Idaho Falls, Idaho
Personal Bests: 1.70m/5-7 (High Jump)
- Finished first in the high jump at the 2020 BYU Indoor Invitational
- Finished second in the high jump at the 2019 Idaho 4A, 2018 Idaho 3A State Championships
- 2018 Idaho 3A SMR Champion
LIA PILI – Throws | Centennial HS | Las Cruces, New Mexico
Personal Bests: 13.91m/45-8 (Shot Put), 42.62m/139-10 (Discus)
- 2021 New Mexico Girls Track & Field Gatorade Player of the Year
- 2021 New Mexico 5A Shot Put & Discus State Champion
- Finished third in the shot put and fourth in the discus at the 2019 Utah 6A State Championships
BRILEE PONTIUS – Sprints | Westlake HS | Saratoga Springs, Utah
Personal Bests: 7.80 (60m), 12.02 (100m), 24.44 (200m), 55.64 (400m)
- 2021 400m (Indoor) All-American
- 2021 6A Utah State Champion in the 400m
- 2019 Sprint Medley 6A State Champion
REBEKAH ROSS – Pole Vault | Central Valley HS | Spokane, Washington
Personal Bests: 3.96m/13-0 (Pole Vault)
- Ranked first in 2021 Washington 4A pole vault
- 2021 GSL First Team
- Finished sixth in the pole vault at the 2019 Washington 4A State Championships
NOELYN SHRIVER – Throws | Middleton HS | Middleton, Idaho
Personal Bests: 11.88m/39-0 (Shot Put), 45.11m/148-0 (Discus)
- Four-time District champion in shot put and discus
- Finished fourth in the shot put at the 2019 Idaho 2A State Championships
- Finished sixth in the discus at the 2019 Idaho 2A State Championships
CAMBRIE SMITH – Distance | Petoskey HS/Dallas Center-Grimes HS | Petoskey, Michigan
Personal Bests: 5:10.25 (1600m), 10:50.05 (3200m), 17:32 (5000m XC)
- Finished 12th in the 3200m at the 2020 GVSU Elite Indoor
- Helped cross country team to 2020 Michigan Division 2 State Championship
- Finished first at the 2019 Portage XC Invitational
KRYSTIE SOLOMON – Mid Distance | Sacred Hearts Girls' College | Hamilton, New Zealand
Personal Bests: 25.79 (200m), 56:86 (400m), 2:10.58 (800m), 4:51.7 (1500m)
- Finished first in the 2020 Waikato Bay of Plenty U20 & Waikato Central Zones Senior Girls' 800m
- 2019 Waikato Bay of Plenty Women’s Athlete of the Year
- 2019 & 2018 New Zealand Athletics U18 Championships 800m Champion
ANNA WEAVER – Distance | Stillwater Area HS | Stillwater, Minnesota
Personal Bests: 4:49 (1600m), 10:15 (3200m), 16:42 (5K)
- 2021 Minnesota 2A 3200m State Champion
- 2020 & 2019 Minnesota 2A Cross Country State Champion
- Finished third in the 2021 Minnesota 2A 1600m
Athletes Returning from Missions:
- Zachary Erikson - Cross Country
- Harrison Gould - Throws
- Sabrina Hartman - Throws
- Seth Knowlton - Throws
- Lindsey Middleton - Hurdles
- Joey Nokes - Distance
- Sami Oblad - Sprints
- Kenneth Rooks - Distance
- Abram Schaap - Sprints
- Allie Warner - Distance