**BYU Cross-Country Teams Clinch First Place at NCAA Mountain Region Meet**

Both BYU’s men’s and women’s cross-country teams showcased their dominance, finishing first at the NCAA Mountain Region meet held in Reno, Nevada. The victory for the Cougar women is particularly impressive, as they managed to secure the top spot even without their leading runners.

The BYU women's team triumphed with 47 points, outpacing Northern Arizona, who ranked fourth nationally and finished second with 60 points. Other competitors included Utah, ranked ninth nationally, who placed fourth, while Utah Valley took fifth position. Utah State, Weber State, and Southern Utah followed in ninth, thirteenth, and fifteenth places respectively in the 20-team field. This meet is critical as the top two teams from each of the nine regional competitions automatically earn a place in next week’s NCAA championships in Wisconsin, with 13 additional at-large selections available, including a likely berth for Utah.

Leading BYU’s charge were runners Riley Chamberlain, Carmen Alder, Taylor Rohatinsky, and Taylor Lovell, who finished fifth, eighth, ninth, and tenth respectively. Carlee Hansen rounded out the scoring for BYU, finishing 20th. Noteworthy performances for Utah included Erin Vringer and Annastasia Peters, who placed 12th and 13th, with Morgan Jensen, McKaylie Caesar, and Lindsey Peters adding to the team’s effort. Utah Valley’s top finishers, Caila Odekirk and Anna Martin, came in at 24th and 28th respectively.

On the men’s side, BYU, also ranked No. 1 nationally, showcased its depth by resting some top runners and still securing the top team position. BYU concluded the meet with 52 points, edging out New Mexico's 61 and Northern Arizona’s 71. Utah State, Southern Utah, Weber State, and Utah Valley followed at 152, 11th, 12th, and 13th places out of 17 teams, respectively. Casey Clinger led the BYU men with a fourth-place finish, with Creed and Davin Thompson, both placing sixth and eighth respectively, and Joey Nokes completing the top 10 for BYU by finishing ninth.

The BYU men’s successful outing in Reno mirrors their achievement as the 2019 NCAA champions. The BYU women won the national title in 2020 and were runners-up in 2019 and 2021, indicating a consistent level of top-tier performance.

This dual victory sets a strong precedent as both BYU teams advance to the NCAA championships, with hopes high for further success and potentially another national title.