by Deji Ogeyingbo
BYU Women Bounce Back to Claim NCAA Cross Country Title; Doris Lemngole Takes Individual Victory
MADISON, WI — Cross country may seem like an individual sport at first glance, with each runner focused on their own race. But the truth is, it’s all about the team. A year ago, the Brigham Young University women’s cross-country team was crushed under the weight of disappointment. After leading at the 2k mark, they collapsed in the final 5k, finishing a staggering 14th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. For head coach Diljeet Taylor, it was the most challenging moment in her eight years at BYU.
Fast forward to Saturday, and the Cougars were back on top. In a dramatic comeback, BYU seized the 2024 NCAA women’s cross-country title at the University of Wisconsin’s Thomas Zimmer Championship Course, securing their second championship in five years. With a score of 149 points, they triumphed in a year without a clear dominant team, outlasting a fierce field that included rising programs and an emotional swan song from the Northern Arizona women’s squad, led by outgoing coach Mike Smith.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 🏆 BYU#NCAAXC pic.twitter.com/CxlGvOTvAq
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) November 23, 2024
In a meet that had more twists than a thriller novel, BYU’s depth won the day. They didn’t rely on any top-10 finishers, an almost impossible feat in cross-country. Lexy Halladay-Lowry, who had been the Cougars’ star, finished 14th, but BYU’s ability to stack finishes and battle through adversity from start to finish turned the race into a statement about teamwork and belief.
Last year’s collapse wasn’t easy to shake off. Taylor was upfront about the crushing disappointment. “It was my lowest moment in my coaching career,” she confessed. That failure, however, fueled a season-long mantra: “Embrace the imperfect.”
And embrace it they did.
The team, led by Halladay-Lowry in 14th, executed their game plan with precision. They stayed calm in the middle miles, showed urgency at the start, and, most importantly, turned on the jets in the final 2k. At 4k, BYU was trailing Northern Arizona 157-166, but over the last 2k, they passed 19 places to surge to the top. It was a remarkable display of strategic execution and, as Taylor pointed out, a reminder that things are often imperfect in practice, just like race day.
“We failed last year. We failed miserably,” Halladay-Lowry admitted after the win. “But today, we came back stronger.”
A month before the championship, BYU was dealt a cruel blow: Jenna Hutchins, the team’s third runner, was ruled out for the season with an injury. At the same time, Halladay-Lowry was struggling with her own injury, spending weeks cross-training in a pool. Yet, Taylor kept the team focused on the bigger picture, reminding them, “Embrace the imperfect.”
For Halladay-Lowry, the road back to redemption was full of hard work. A year ago, she had finished 103rd, a heartbreaking fall after being in 27th place at the 4k mark. This time, however, she had one of the most consistent performances of her career, finishing 14th, not a top-10 individual finish, but crucial to BYU’s success.
For Taylor, the victory was particularly sweet. In her mind, the victory was never about the individual performance; it was about the collective effort. “We may not have had a top-10 finisher, but this team’s depth has been something I’ve believed in for years,” she said.
And BYU’s depth was on full display.
Carmen Alder, a runner who had struggled in previous NCAA appearances, played a pivotal role in BYU’s victory. Alder had finished 203rd in 2022 and 246th in 2023, but on Saturday, she found her stride, finishing 39th and passing 10 women over the final 2k. Her performance was emblematic of the team’s broader mentality: overcoming adversity and staying focused on the task at hand.
In a championship race where several teams were locked in a battle for supremacy, BYU’s win was a story of overcoming the odds. Northern Arizona, aiming for their first women’s title, had led as late as 4k but faded in the final stretch, ultimately finishing fourth with 206 points. West Virginia, ranked 14th in the country going into the race, stunned the field by claiming second with 164 points, and Providence, ranked 11th, rounded out the top three with 183.
BYU’s success came in a field that featured several strong contenders, including West Virginia and Northern Arizona, but it was the Cougars’ consistent, strong performances from each runner that set them apart. Unlike previous NCAA winners, who boasted top-10 finishers, BYU’s ability to have all five runners finish in the top 50 was critical. Halladay-Lowry, their top finisher, was the lowest No. 1 runner for an NCAA title-winning team in 44 years, further underscoring the team’s collective effort over individual stars.
As for the individual race, it was a thrilling finish. Alabama’s Doris Lemngole, the 2023 runner-up, surged ahead in the final 800m, breaking free of teammate Hilda Olemomoi of Florida to take the title in 19:21.0. New Mexico’s Pamela Kosgei, who had set a course record at Pre-Nationals a month earlier, finished second in 19:27.8, just edging out Olemomoi (19:28.7). NC State’s Grace Hartman, the top American finisher, took fifth in 19:39.5.
For Lemngole, the win was a great comeback of her own. After finishing second last year, she found herself at the top of the podium, proving that patience pays off.
