2013 BYU Hall of Fame
For the second time in three years, the BYU women's cross country team ran away with the national title. The Cougars performance at the 1999 NCAA Cross Country Championships was dominant. Just one year after being edged by Villanova in the closest 1-2-3 finish in NCAA history, BYU placed three runners in the top 20 to score an impressive 53-point victory.
Senior Elizabeth Jackson led the way for the Cougars, crossing the finish line in just under 17 minutes. Her time of 16:59.20 was good for 11th place overall and eight points in the team scoring.
The next four BYU finishers crossed the line within six seconds of each other. Senior Kara Ormond and sophomore Tara Rohatinsky finished together in 16th and 17th place. Just seconds behind them, junior Sharolyn Shields and sophomore Laura Heiner rounded out the scoring for the team. All five scorers for the Cougars earned All-America honors. Jackson became the first athlete in BYU history to be named All-America in cross country all four years.
The win solidified BYU’s position as one of the premiere women's cross country programs in the country. The Cougars finished in the top four at the national championships in each of the previous five years, and recorded top-10 finishes in eight of the last 10.
In addition to their national championship trophy, the 1999 team earned several other honors for their performances. Coach Patrick Shane received the first-ever Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year Award after winning six similar awards from the Western Athletic Conference. Senior Elizabeth Jackson was named Mountain West Conference Athlete of the Year and Sarah Ellett took Freshman of the Year honors.