Cougars secure four NCAA National Championship berths

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Carter Cutting, Tayvon Kitchen, Isaac Hedengren and the 4x400-meter relay squad secured NCAA National Championship berths at the NCAA West Preliminary round hosted by the University of Arkansas Friday, May 29.

Carter Cutting took second overall crossing the line in 3:37.64 in the 1500-meter quarterfinal race, finishing just behind NCAA record holder Simeon Birnbaum to secure his spot in the semifinals at the NCAA National Championship. 

Cutting simultaneously clocked his personal record in the event to claim the No. 3 all-time BYU record. The junior was able to hold off the pack down the final stretch of the race in what is expected to be a preview of the final in the event that will take place in his home state of Oregon.

Isaac Hedengren took eighth overall in the 5000-meter in 13:43.28 qualifying by time for the national championship race. He was joined by freshman Tayvon Kitchen, who took fourth in his heat to claim an auto qualifier in a race where he placed 12th overall in 13:45.94.

The 4x400-meter relay team consisting of Ben Barton, Jonah Heimuli, Jayden Jessee and Josh Taylor recorded a 3:03.79 performance to take ninth overall to move on to the national championship in two weeks. Taylor clocked an unofficial split of 44.69 in his anchor leg which would have set the BYU school record for the individual 400-meter dash.

Hedengren and Kitchen were joined in the 5000m by reigning Big 12 champion in the 10,000-meter Creed Thompson who finished 17th in 13:54.98, Noah Jenkins who finished 21st in 13:59.58, and Hunter Kitchen who took 35th in 14:20.66.

Olympian and reigning NCAA national champion James Corrigan appeared in the 3000-meter steeplechase where he finished 20th in 8:48.14. The senior was joined by Jefferson McMullin who crossed the line just behind Corrigan in 8:50.15 to take 23rd with Max Davis taking 29th in 8:54.05.

Mark Bryant competed in the discus and Silas Zimmerman competed in the pole vault which was rescheduled to Thursday.

Full Results

Up Next

The Cougars will send five athletes competing in four events to the NCAA National Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on June 10-13. Live coverage of the meet will be on ESPN 2.