BYU women’s distance medley relay cruises to Championship of America win at Penn Relays
The Cougars were less than two seconds off the carnival record of 10:48.38 set in 1988 by Villanova. Villanova was ninth in the women's distance medley relay, and the men were sixth in their event.
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The women of BYU’s distance medley relay team were excited about the chance to come to Philadelphia and compete in the historic Penn Relays. They were even more excited Friday when they left Franklin Field with their first-ever Championship of America wheel.
NCAA champion Courtney Wayment took advantage of some terrific running by her three teammates who set up her anchor leg with a 30-meter lead and cruised to victory in 10 minutes, 50.22 seconds, the fourth-fastest time in the history of the championship event at Penn.
The Cougars’ time was less than two seconds off the carnival record of 10:48.38 set in 1988 by Villanova.
Wayment said before leaving for Philadelphia, BYU associate women’s track coach Diljeet Taylor gave the runners “five little facts” on their itineraries about where they were going. It was the Cougars’ first trip to Penn since 2017.
“This is all four of our first time being here, and so we just knew that this was a really historic meet,” she said. “It’s filled with a lot of history and a lot of love and passion for the sport.”
The women’s DMR was one of six Championship of America relays that were contested Friday on a sunny, breezy day. Mississippi captured the men’s DMR after a stirring duel with Wisconsin in the final straightaway, clocking 9:29.45 to the Badgers’ 9:29.79, for the Rebels’ first Penn victory since 1999.
South Carolina won the women’s 4x200 for the third time in the last four carnivals, breaking the tape in 1:33.36. Clemson took the men’s 4x200 in 1:22.91.
Penn State was victorious in the women’s sprint medley relay for the second straight time at Penn, outkicking Ohio State in the final 50 meters and crossing first in 3:48.47. The men’s sprint medley was captured by Indiana in 3:17.39.
Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes gave BYU an immediate advantage in the DMR with an opening 1,200-meter leg of 3:18.22, more than three seconds faster than anyone. Her younger sister, Alena Ellsworth, dashed 53.63 for 400 meters, and Claire Seymour’s 800-meter time of 2:05.98 gave a substantial cushion to Wayment.
Sintayehu Vissa, running the anchor for Mississippi, gave chase and got within 15 meters of Wayment after 400 meters but couldn’t keep up the pace. The Rebels finished second in 10:55.61.
“To us, it means a lot,” Wayment said of the victory. “I’m really grateful to do it with them. Lauren, Alena, and Claire are some of my dearest friends, and to be able to do it on some of our last seasons, it’s really special.”
Villanova finished ninth in 11:12.43.
The Wildcats made it interesting in the men’s DMR when sophomore Sean Dolan steadily picked up 40 to 50 meters on the final leg and actually moved into a pack of seven runners on the last lap. But the leaders pulled away, with Ole Miss’ Mario Garcia Romo, an NCAA champion, outkicking Wisconsin’s Olin Hacker in the final strides.
“I did what I could trying to get there going into the bell,” said Dolan, whose team took sixth in 9:32.78. “I probably played my card to get there and they played their card on the backstretch. I just did what I could. I don’t regret anything I did out there. We didn’t have it today and we’ll be back tomorrow.”
» READ MORE: Ohio State sends three relays to the Championship of America finals at Penn Relays
The Wildcats will get another chance at taking the victory podium Saturday in two races — the men’s 4-by-mile relay and the women’s 4x800. Graduate student McKenna Keegan, who competed in the 800 at last year’s U.S. Olympic Trials, is expected to anchor the 4x800.
Friday’s race was Keegan’s first Penn Relays competition since 2018. She redshirted in 2019 because of an injury, and the pandemic sidelined the carnival in 2020 and 2021.
“I’ve been looking forward to this, just due to COVID and the injury that I had a couple of years ago,” she said. “I wasn’t able to race outdoors. It’s just such a special meet to compete in, and this is my last year here so just trying to make the most of it and looking forward to (Saturday) as well.”