NEW ORLEANS – BYU men's head cross country coach Ed Eyestone was named NCAA Men's Coach of the Year for the Mountain Region earning the Chick Hislop Award Tuesday morning by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Eyestone concluded an historic cross country campaign last Saturday, leading his runners to a team victory at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Madison, Wisconsin. The Cougars took the title with 124 points and produced four All-American finishes. It was the second time in program history that the men have taken first in the nation, the first being the 2019 team that Eyestone also oversaw.
The head coach guided the Cougars to an undefeated season through six meets. On Nov. 1, the men's team captured its first Big 12 Conference title in Waco, Texas in only its second year in the league.
Talking after the national championships Eyestone referenced 'The Build', a term he's attributed to the efforts that the team has produced over years to get to this point.
"These guys have been working hard for a long time," said Eyestone. "There are many seniors on this team. It wasn't just a one year build. It was a four, five, six, seven or eight year build with missions and what not. I'm super happy and super pleased at the poise our men demonstrated."
Eyestone will switch gears to get his distance crew ready for the Boston Colyear-Danville Season Opener on December 7.