PROVO, UT – No. 3 BYU men’s cross country is set to race at the NCAA Division I Championships in Earlysville, Virginia this Saturday, broadcasted on ESNPU and ESPN+.
Meet Information
· Host: University of Virginia
· Location: Panorama Cross Country Course | Earlysville, VA
· Distance: 10k
· Time: Men’s Championship – 11:10 a.m. EST
· Broadcast: Beginning at 9:30 a.m. EST on ESPNU and ESPN+
The Cougars will toe the line for the final time this season, having previously taken second place at the NCAA Mountain Regional meet just eight days earlier. During the 2023 campaign, BYU has placed in the top two podium spots in each race.
The NCAA Division I Men’s Championship race will feature 31 teams from around the country. Three other teams from the Big 12 Conference will be represented: Iowa State, No. 2 Oklahoma State and Texas. Top competitors for the Cougars will be No. 1 Northern Arizona, previously mentioned No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 4 California Baptist and tied for No. 5 North Carolina and Wisconsin.
The Cougars return to Panorama Farms for a second time this year, having placed second overall at the Virginia Invitational on September 23. Joey Nokes crossed the finish line first for the Cougars and fourth overall in a time of 23:30.5. Saturday's championship will be a 10K, differing from the Virginia Invitational's 8K race.
BYU brings an experienced resume to the championships. The Cougars won the national title in 2019 as a team, defeating reigning champions Northern Arizona 109-163. The program has produced four individual titles in its history: Ed Eyestone (1984), Josh Rohantinsky (2006) and Conner Mantz (2020-21, 2021).
The Cougars will switch gears to indoor track and field competition after the championship concludes this year’s 2023 cross country season. BYU will hold the program’s annual December Invitational at the Smith Fieldhouse beginning on December 8.