BYU Women Win Big 12 Cross Country Title
The Cougars took the team crown in Stillwater, Oklahoma, for the fourth year in a row, led by Jane Hedengren's individual victory.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Track & Field
BYU women's cross country won the Big 12 championship on October 31 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, with 53 points. Jane Hedengren finished first in 19:28, ten seconds ahead of the runner-up.
Why it matters
The team title extends BYU's run of Big 12 championships since joining the conference in 2023 and builds momentum heading into postseason competition. The result also places the Cougars ahead of No. 3 West Virginia, which scored 63 points.
Hedengren won the 6-kilometer race in 19:28 over a field of more than 130 runners, four seconds shy of the Stillwater course record. Teammates Taylor Rohatinsky (19:53, 11th), Lexi Goff (19:54, 12th) and Taylor Lovell (20:03, 15th) rounded out the scoring group, and no BYU runner finished outside the top 35.
The players
Jane Hedengren
Hedengren is a BYU distance runner who won the Big 12 individual cross country title in consecutive years and posted the race's fastest time.
The details
BYU's team score was determined by the cumulative placings of its top runners in the Oct. 31 race. Hedengren, who won the individual title for the second straight year, finished 10 seconds clear of the field.
Timeline
October 31, 2026: BYU wins the Big 12 women's cross country championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
November 13, 2026: The Cougars compete at the NCAA Mountain Regional in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
November 21, 2026: The NCAA Championships take place in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Season Trajectory
The Cougars' fourth consecutive Big 12 team title, their first seasons in the conference since 2023, extends a streak that began with their arrival in the league. The result sets up a postseason push through the NCAA Mountain Regional and national championship meet.
The NCAA Mountain Regional on November 13 in Albuquerque determines which teams and individuals advance to the national championship meet. Fans following the sport can track the Cougars' progress through that regional and the Terre Haute national meet on November 21.
The takeaway
BYU's sustained success in its first seasons in the Big 12 shows how quickly a program can establish itself in a deep conference. Readers following the team can watch the NCAA regional and national meets for the next test of that depth.
What happens next
The Cougars compete at the NCAA Mountain Regional in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on November 13, followed by the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana, on November 21.
Further reading
Find more coverage in the Track & Field section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by BYU Daily Universe.
