Hedengren wins 3000m to complete NCAA distance sweep

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Jane Hedengren won the 3000-meter with an NCAA Championships record time of 8:36.61 as the Cougars finished fifth overall Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track Center at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Full Results

Jane Hedengren won the 3000m in 8:36.61, more than seven seconds ahead of runner-up Pamela Kosgei of New Mexico. The Provo, Utah product led the entire race but pulled far ahead in the final 800m and closed with a 66.97 over the final 400m.

Her performance set a new championship record, dethroning Florida’s Parker Valby’s 8:41.50 from March 9, 2024. Paired with her 5000m title from Friday, Hedengren became the first freshman in NCAA history to claim both the 3000m and 5000m. She is also the first BYU woman to win two individual events at the same championship in program history. The win earned her first-team All-America honors.

JANE WINS. AGAIN!!!!!

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— BYU Track & Field/Cross Country (@BYUTFXC) March 14, 2026

Riley Chamberlain earned first-team All-America honors for the second time in her track career in the mile, finishing fifth in 4:40.80. The senior finished just 0.74 seconds behind first-place Wilma Nielsen of Oregon.

Chamberlain and Jenna Hutchins also competed alongside Hedengren in the 3000m, where they finished 14th and 15th to earn second-team All-America honors. This is Hutchins’ third time receiving second-team All-America honors in her track career.

BYU finished fifth in the team competition with 27 points. Hedengren scored 20 points for the Cougars. It is BYU’s highest finish in the team standings since placing third in 2009. Georgia won the team competition with 53 points, Oregon finished second with 44, and Illinois and Arkansas placed third and fourth with 42 and 37 points.

Up Next

BYU will open its outdoor season at the Utah Tech Invitational on Saturday, March 21 at Greater Zion Stadium in St. George, Utah.