Mantz named national athlete of the week

NEW ORLEANS – No. 3 BYU men’s cross country’s Conner Mantz was named NCAA Division I National Men’s Athlete of the Week, the USTFCCCA announced on Monday.

Mantz received the national honor after winning his fifth consecutive individual meet title at the Roy Griak Invitational in St. Paul, Minnesota on Friday.

The reigning individual national champion battled with Wesley Kiptoo of No. 10 Iowa State throughout the men’s 8K at Griak. As the two All-Americans approached the finish, Mantz pulled ahead from Kiptoo with a final burst of speed, edging the Cyclone runner by one second to take first-place.

Mantz’s individual win at Griak paved the way for BYU's first-place finish in the team standings with a score of 34 points, one point ahead of Kiptoo and Iowa State.

Monday marks the second time Mantz has been named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week. The senior from Smithfield, Utah took home the award after an individual title at the Bill Dellinger Invitational in Springfield, Oregon on Sept. 28, 2019.

Mantz and the Cougars return to action at the FSU XC Invite/Pre-Nationals at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida on Friday, Oct. 15.