Lexy Halladay

“The pieces were there – but getting them to mesh and come together, we had to embrace the imperfect. We had to have these women realize that if you're scared of something, the only way to get over that fear is to conquer it. That was what this championship was for a lot of the women. 

My guest for today's episode is Diljeet Taylor, Head Coach of BYU’s women's cross country and track team. She's one of the most inspiring leaders in the sport. Coach Taylor just wrapped up a storybook season by guiding BYU to the 2024 NCAA Cross Country women's team title. It's their second national championship under her leadership and the program's sixth overall.

This victory wasn't just about redemption. It was about resilience one year after a devastating 14th place finish at NCAAs – the lowest moment of her coaching career. Coach Taylor and her team embraced the imperfect, leaned into their depth, and executed when it mattered most.

From butterfly mantras to pajama parties to brilliant race strategies, Coach Taylor proved that with belief and preparation, anything is possible. In today's conversation, we talked about BYU’s incredible turnaround, her approach to coaching All-Americans and building a winning culture, and why this year was a testament to her mantra, ‘Embrace the imperfect.’

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: Diljeet Taylor | @diljeetdosanjhtaylor on Instagram

Time stamps:

3:33 - Reflections coming off BYU’s team title at NCAAs 

5:03 - Finishing 14th at the 2023 Championship to winning in 2024

8:47 - What she said to her athletes after NCAAs last year 

10:16 - How her coaching style has changed

12:27 - Lexy Halladay-Lowry’s progression + working through an injury to finish 14th

14:22 - What the evening was like with the team the night before NCAAs

21:03 - Why the team got off social media the month leading up to NCAAs

23:06 - “The Night Before Nationals” book

25:46 - Frank Gagliano’s impact on her as a mentor 

26:55 - Overcoming last year’s disappointment at NCAAs

29:12 - Goals and expectations heading into this year’s race 

34:05 - How the race played out 

37:27 - How the team celebrated winning 

42:38 - Looking ahead to next year’s team 

45:01 - What she hopes her legacy will be

48:49 - Connecting with other female coaches 

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Harvard senior Graham Blanks successfully defended his NCAA Division I cross country championship on Saturday, winning the 10,000-meter race in 28:37.2, narrowly edging New Mexico's Habtom Samuel.

BYU became the first school since 2002 to win both men's and women's team titles at the same championship.

Men's Championship

Blanks' Victory: Blanks is the 13th runner in history to defend his title, cementing his legacy on the Thomas Zimmer course.

BYU's Team Triumph: The Cougars scored 124 points for their second men's title, led by Casey Clinger's 6th-place finish and Creed Thompson's 12th. All BYU scorers placed in the top 50.

Team Standings: Iowa State (137 points) finished second, followed by Arkansas, Wisconsin, and Northern Arizona. Defending champion Oklahoma State placed eighth.

Women's Championship

Doris Lemngole: The Alabama runner won the 6,000-meter race in 19:21, improving on her runner-up finish from last year. Pamela Kosgei of New Mexico was second in 19:27.8.

BYU Women Dominate: The Cougars scored 147 points to win their sixth title, with Lexy Halladay-Lowry finishing as the top scorer in 14th place overall.

Team Standings: BYU edged out West Virginia, with Providence, Northern Arizona, and Oregon rounding out the top five. Defending champion NC State finished eighth.

Historical Context

BYU’s sweep marks the first dual-team victory since Colorado’s achievement in 2002, highlighting their depth and dominance.

Blanks joins an elite group of repeat champions in the 86-year history of the NCAA men's cross country race.

The Big Picture

BYU's historic team wins and standout performances from Blanks and Lemngole underscore the competitiveness and unpredictability of collegiate cross country’s biggest stage.