Brigham Young, Oklahoma State set to square off in head-to-head battle, with likely anchor legs featuring reigning NCAA Division 1 Indoor champion against Lake Stevens graduate

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Taylor Roe is excited to return home, an hour away from where the Oklahoma State standout flourished during her prep career at Lake Stevens High.

Courtney Wayment is grateful to be reacquainted with a familiar setting, a venue that could be considered a home away from home for Brigham Young.

And two of the elite female college distance runners will reunite Friday in the women’s distance medley relay at the Husky Classic at the Dempsey Indoor facility in Seattle.

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The last time BYU and Oklahoma State squared off in the DMR was in March at the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.

The Cougars, relying on Wayment pulling away on the anchor, prevailed in 10 minutes, 52.96 seconds to capture the national title. Roe also ran a remarkable final 1,600 meters helping Oklahoma State elevate from sixth to fourth place, clocking 10:59.75.

“I am extremely grateful to be racing the DMR with my teammates,” Wayment said. “The DMR is such a special event during the indoor season. It is an event where you get to race to the best of your ability with and for your teammates. I am so excited to be able to race with and for my incredible teammates.”

The rematch will be a head-to-head showdown, as Washington coaches Maurica Powell and Andy Powell coordinated a women’s DMR on the Husky Classic schedule in an effort to help BYU and Oklahoma State produce times that would secure spots among the top 12 programs qualifying for the Division 1 Indoor championship meet March 11-12 at the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.

Oklahoma State enters the meet ranked No. 6 nationally at 11:05.10 and BYU is eighth at 11:06.24. The Dempsey record of 10:53.95 was achieved by BYU in 2020, the fastest performance on an oversized track in women’s collegiate DMR history.

“Our team every year wants to have a DMR team qualify for nationals. I think it is such a cool event to show the strength of your middle distance and distance, plus the 400 leg who is forced to hang out with distance kids for the week,” Roe said. “(Oklahoma State coach Dave Smith) is really a great coach and has a history of producing solid DMR teams. We just hope to make him proud and just compete.” 

Roe indicated Oklahoma State would likely be adjusting its lineup from its first DMR opportunity Jan. 28 at the Razorback Invitational, with BYU adding Wayment to its quartet after she did not race with the group on the same day at the Washington Invite, since she was competing Jan. 29 in the 3,000 meters and running a personal-best 8:50.05 at the 114th Millrose Games in New York.

“Between both Boston and Millrose, I am grateful to have opportunities to race with teammates and be in races with other talented runners. It has been fun getting and taking advantage of new opportunities,” Wayment said. “Racing in Seattle has been something we have been doing a lot of during the course of my collegiate career. It is familiar and it is always a place that we love to create great memories at. And I’m hoping that we continue that throughout this weekend.”

Wayment raced at three events at the Dempsey facility during BYU’s march last year to the Division 1 Indoor championship meet, where she captured both the 3,000 title and contributed to the DMR crown.

Roe has not competed in her home state since the 2020 Husky Classic, placing 41st in the 3,000.

Since then, she has developed into a two-time NCAA cross country All-American, in addition to her experience in March as part of Oklahoma State’s DMR quartet.

“I remember racing in Seattle (in 2020) and have fun memories of my freshman year, but I know I am a completely different runner than I was two years ago,” Roe said. “I have different motivations and outlook on running than before. When I was in high school and honestly since I can remember, I have always come down to the Dempsey indoor meets to watch the college and professional athletes compete. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be one of those athletes.”

Lawrence and Jennifer Roe, Taylor’s parents, were able to watch their daughter compete two weeks ago at the Razorback Invitational in Arkansas, where she prevailed in the mile in 4:34.35.

Roe is also scheduled to race Saturday in the 800, with Wayment entered in the mile.

“It was fun having my parents come watch in Arkansas and I am lucky to see them now two weeks later,” Roe said. “It is always fun to see and spend time with them when I can since I only get to see them for extended periods of time, maybe during winter or summer breaks. Now traveling home to Washington, I have the chance to see more friends and I am really excited. I am (located) only an hour away from Seattle, so when traveling through the airport, it truly did feel like coming home seeing an environment I am used to.”

In addition to returning to the Dempsey facility for the first time in two years, Roe will also need to be reminded about running on an oversized track again, something she hasn’t experienced since 2020.

“When racing on banked tracks, they feel fast and you’re constantly turning,” Roe said. “Getting to an oversized track you’re getting closer to an outdoor feel. It really isn’t a big difference, maybe more psychologically. Having one lap to go on a 200-meter track versus a 300-meter track feels painfully different.”  

Roe ranks No. 4 among collegiate competitors this season in the mile, with Wayment looking to improve on her personal-best 4:30.47 from last year’s Husky Classic and challenge for the NCAA lead.

Following a personal-best 15:15.46 effort Dec. 4 at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University and another collegiate-leading mark in the 3,000 two weeks ago at the 114th Millrose Games, Wayment will have the benefit Saturday in the mile of having the pacing of close friend and former teammate Anna Camp-Bennett, the reigning Division 1 outdoor 1,500-meter national champion and adidas professional athlete.

“I am so excited to have Anna pacing the mile,” Wayment said. “Anna is someone I train with and who I trust and is one of my best friends. Something I am grateful for on our team and in our team culture, is that we all love to help one another with our races, in whatever way that looks like and this race is one she is pacing. I’m grateful to get another race with her.”

Just like Roe and Wayment are both grateful to be back at the Dempsey and share the Seattle track together once more as a dress rehearsal for their final indoor showdown next month at the NCAA championship meet at the CrossPlex.

“It was really fun to race a DMR at Arkansas and it was a good test for the entire group. We walked away not satisfied and ready to try again. BYU is such a strong team and if we can compete with them we know we will run fast,” Roe said. “It should be interesting and we are excited to mix it up with everyone.”