Distance Events
The Men’s 10,000 meter run currently has BYU in the top four spots nationally. To give perspective, that is like a team having the the best four players in one position like running back all on one team. It doesn’t happen! Yet the Cougars are ranked 1-4 and will likely score anywhere from 20-29 points in the NCAA Championships on this event alone. To give perspective, in just that event alone, the Cougars would score enough points to likely be in the top ten nationally without any other event scoring.
The Cougars can also expect to score points in 5000 meter with Connor Mantz and Clayton Young being ranked No. 3/5 nationally. With both of them also ranked in the top four in the 10,000 meter it is questionable whether they would run both events but if they did, they could expect to pick up another 6-10 points there which would put the men’s total in the 26-39 point range.
In the 3000m steeplechase, Matt Owens and Clayson Shumway are ranked No. 3/6 nationally with Jacob Heslington and Kenneth Rooks also in the top 20. Finishing with a combined 10-12 points here would move the Cougars to 36-51 points which would get them close to the podium if closer to 50 points.
In the 1500m Talem Francom is ranked No. 15 in the nation and with a good race could possibly find himself getting a point or two for the team.
Total Points: 36-51