BOSTON – True freshman Tayvon Kitchen produced the No. 8 all-time NCAA performance in the indoor 3000-meter while setting the school record, while Carter Cutting broke his own program record in the indoor mile Friday afternoon at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational.
Kitchen, a cross country All-American, finished the 3000m in 7:36.23 in his first collegiate appearance in the event. The true freshman broke the all-time BYU record, surpassing Casey Clinger’s 7:41.05 from the 2025 season by nearly five seconds. The Central Point, Oregon native’s third-place finish placed him eighth all-time in NCAA history and made him the fastest true freshman ever in the indoor 3000m. His record-breaking run also ranks third in the NCAA this season.
Cutting, who broke the BYU record in the indoor mile two weeks ago on the same track, made BYU history again by besting his own record by nearly two seconds. The junior from Wilsonville, Oregon crossed the line in 3:52.84 and took eighth overall. Cutting’s back-to-back school record performance now sits at No. 8 in the NCAA this season.
Isaac Hedengren, off the heels of a No. 3 all-time BYU performance in the 3000m two weeks ago, again competed in the event alongside Kitchen finishing the race in 7:41.48. The almost three second improvement pushed him up the all-time rankings past Aidan Troutner to retain his spot at No. 3 all-time at BYU after Kitchen took the top rank on the board. Hedengren also finished eighth overall in the event.
Creed Thompson also appeared in the 3000m, improving his personal-best performance by more than eight seconds finishing in 7:48.08 to take the No. 6 all-time BYU record. The senior from Lehi now holds a top-10 performance in both the indoor 3000m and the 5000m.
Noah Jenkins competed in the open section of the 3000m, finishing seventh overall in a time of 7:49.71 to secure the No. 9 all-time record at BYU. Jenkins joins Thompson with his name now on the top-10 board in the 3000m and 5000m.
Jacob Robison made an appearance in the 800mposting a personal-best 1:52.88. Teammate Brayden Packard finished second overall in the 1000m in a time of 2:22.31. Max Davis and Tyler Sainsbury each competed in the mile improving their personal-best times each by more than five seconds and nearly breaking the four minute barrier for the first time. They finished in 4:00.99 and 4:01.73, respectively.
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Up Next
The Cougars distance team heads to race a DMR before opening the postseason at the Big 12 Indoor Championships in Lubbock, Texas at the Sports Performance Center on Friday, February 27.