BYU holds 13th annual Curtis Pugsley Awards banquet

BYU track and field held its 13th annual Curtis Pugsley Awards banquet on Tuesday night.

Author Ethan Tanner
BYU holds 13th annual Curtis Pugsley Awards banquetBYU holds 13th annual Curtis Pugsley Awards banquet

PROVO, Utah — BYU track and field held its 13th annual Curtis Pugsley Awards banquet on Tuesday night.

Awards were presented to the program’s top freshman performers, overall track and field athletes, most inspirational athletes and the Curtis Pugsley Award winners from the 2024-25 season.

The banquet is named after former BYU decathlete Curtis Pugsley who passed away from cancer in 2013. The Curtis Pugsley award is the highest honor of the night given to the top performing male and female from the program. The award serves to remember and continue the legacy of Pugsley as an All-American athlete, role model and disciple of Jesus Christ. 

Freshman Awards

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Kat Beachler - Freshman Field Athlete of the Year

  • Placed seventh in the javelin at the Outdoor Big 12 Championships with a throw of 46.25m
  • No. 7 all-time at BYU in the outdoor shot put with a throw of 15.08m
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Sam Jennings - Freshman Field Athlete of the Year

  • Placed 14th in Javelin at NCAA Outdoor Mountain Regionals and threw 68.24 meters earning him the No. 9 all-time at BYU in the event
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Tessa Buswell - Freshman Track Athlete of the Year

  • Ran the 800m leg on BYU's DMR team that won the NCAA Championship
  • Earned All-American Honorable Mention honors in the 800m, placing 21st at the Outdoor NCAA Championships
  • No. 6 all-time in the indoor 800m, clocking 2:03.43 at the Indoor Big 12 Championships
  • Placed third in the 800m at the Indoor Big 12 Championships
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Tyler Mathews - Freshman Track Athlete of the Year

  • Holds the Indoor school record in the 800-meter with a time of 1:46.62
  • Was named Big 12 Outstanding Freshman of the year after finishing second at the Big 12 Indoor Championships in the 800m
  • Part of the Distance Medley team that holds the school record after finishing fifth at the 2025 NCAA Indoor National Championship finishing in 9:18.31
  • Finished third at Big 12 Outdoor Championship finishing in a time of 1:46.19 making him No. 2 all-time at BYU in the event

Top Performer Awards

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Gretchen Hoekstre - Field Athlete of the Year

  • School record holder in the discus with a throw of 57.04m
  • Placed second at the Outdoor Big 12 Championships with a career-best mark of 17.46m
  • All-American Honorable Mentions honors in both the discus and shot put at the Outdoor NCAA Championships
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Ben Barton - Field Athlete of the Year

  • He finished second overall at the Big 12 Indoor Championship where he broke the school record in the heptathlon, scoring 5,944 points. 
  • Took fourth at the Indoor NCAA National Championship scoring 5,898 points.
  • He won the 2025 Outdoor Big 12 Title in the Decathlon with a score of 7,865 points, the 7th-best mark in BYU history.  
  • Awarded All American honors for taking 6th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a score of 7,777. 

 

lexyfinsih

Lexy Halladay-Lowry - Track Athlete of the Year

  • Indoor Mountain Region Track Athlete of the Year
  • Indoor Big 12 Championships 5000m winner
  • Outdoor Big 12 Championships 5000m winner
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Josh Taylor - Track Athlete of the Year

  • School record holder in the Indoor 400m, running 45.85
  • Holds the No. 3 all-time Outdoor 400m record with a time of 45.74
  • Earned All-American honors for his performance in the DMR, Outdoor 4x4 and Indoor 4x4

Most Inspirational Athletes

Creed Thompson 2025

Creed Thompson

A teammate said of Creed: "What makes Creed such an inspiring person is his relentless drive to accomplish his goals. His remarkable season included three All-American honors in a single year—an achievement only six NCAA distance runners can claim this year. But what inspires me most are the quiet battles with injury and setback, where Creed never stopped believing. In his locker hangs a quote: ‘It is in the struggle that we discover our true potential.’ Creed lives that truth. He inspires me every day to believe in the process, to believe in the struggles, and most importantly, to believe in myself. Congratulations on this award, Creed—keep inspiring us all."

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Sami Oblad

A teammate of Sami said this: "Sami is the best of the best. I've had the privilege of watching years of hard work, determination and grit. She eventually became the one of best to run at BYU and became one of the top 400m runners in the nation. Not only is she the queen of the 400m, Sami is also incredibly kind, supportive and all-around lovely. She is an amazing teammate and an even better friend. To know Sami is to love her!"

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Riley Chamberlain

A teammate of Riley said this: "Riley isn't just an amazing runner, she's an amazing person. She checks in on me, hypes me up after a workout or race and always brings good vibes. Riley works hard for her goals and shows me that even when times are tough, things will get better. I definitely look up to her and love how she cares for people even when she's going through hard times herself. I'm so glad I have her as a teammate, friend and 'big sis.'"

Curtis Pugsley Award Winners

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Lexy Halladay-Lowry

  • School record holder in the indoor 3000m (8:40.60), the indoor 5000m (14:57.63), the outdoor 5000m (14:57.63) and the 3000m steeplechase (9:08.68)
  • Accumulated 22 personal points at the Outdoor NCAA Championships
  • First Team All-American in the 3000m steeplechase
  • First Team All-American in the indoor 3000m
  • First Team All-American in the indoor 5000m
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James Corrigan

  • School record holder in the 3000-meter Steeplechase at 8:13.87
  • Named the 2025 Outdoor Mountain Region Track Athlete of the Year
  • Big 12 Outdoor Steeplechase Champion and holds the Big 12 record in that event
  • Finished first in the Big 12 5000-meter
  • 2025 NCAA National Champion in the Steeplechase, winning the title with a time of 8:16.41