IRVING, Texas – BYU women’s cross country head coach Diljeet Taylor was selected as the Big 12 Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year, the conference announced Thursday afternoon.
Taylor led her women’s squad to four team wins and two runner-up finishes this season. BYU scored 40 points or fewer in each of its first four meets to take first place in all four.
The Cougars finished runner-up at last month’s NCAA National Championship with 130 points, highlighted by All-America performances from Jane Hedengren and Riley Chamberlain. Taylor has now coached 10 athletes to a combined 21 All-America honors.
BYU also secured its third straight Big 12 title this fall. Hedengren became Taylor’s first individual Big 12 champion, and five Cougars earned All-Big 12 recognition: Hedengren, Chamberlain, Nelah Roberts, Taylor Lovell and Zariel Macchia.
During her tenure, Taylor has coached BYU to two national championships (2020–21, 2024), guided Whittni Orton to an individual NCAA title in 2021 and led her cross country squads to 34 meet wins.
Taylor has now earned this honor in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Big 12 honors were determined by the league’s 16 head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for themselves.
To view the full release, visit the Big 12 website.