NCAA track and field: BYU's James Corrigan adds name to 'Steeple U' with national title

PROVO — No one produces steeplechase specialists quite like BYU.

And nobody kicks like James Corrigan at Steeple U.

Corrigan powered down the final straightway in a personal-best time of 8 minutes, 16.41 seconds to outkick the field in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final, clinching the second national title in the event for BYU in three years Friday night at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Corrigan joins former BYU star and fellow Team USA Olympian Kenneth Rooks as steeplechase national champions from BYU in the past three years.

Argue if you must, but Steeple U. still belongs to the Cougars, who finished tied for 11th overall with 19 points — the third top-15 team finish since 2019.

"As I was doing my victory lap, Kenneth Rooks caught me by the water pit, which was kind of cool," he said. "It was kind of poetic to see him there, and it made me think of how special it was to take another dub for BYU and to continue raising the bar."

Corrigan is the fifth men's steeplechase national champion in BYU history, and ninth overall, joining Kyle Perry, Josh McAdams, Bob Richards and Kenneth Rooks just two years ago.

He finished his final 400 meters in 61 seconds, finishing with the fastest time by a steeplechase national champion in 47 years.

A year after making the United States' Olympic team in Paris, Corrigan made up for last year's "misstep," improving on his top-10 finish at nationals to hold off top-rated Louisville freshman Geoffrey Kirwa (8:17.12) and Furman's Carson Williams (8:19.71).

The 23-year-old junior from Los Angeles has seen his popularity explode in the past year, not only on the international scene with Team USA but locally as well.

Corrigan holds the Big 12 outdoor record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, one of the more unique events in outdoor track and field that involves leaping over barriers and splashing across a water pit on a track designed to mimic the woods and streams of the old English countryside.

He placed third at the 2024 USATAFA Olympic team trials, earned a spot on the roster by running 8:13.87 in a last-minute bid at the Penn Relays Summer Showcase, and signed a name, image and likeness deal with Nike last fall (after signing an NIL endorsement with local pro group Run Elite Program).

But the part-time juggler and returned missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was burdened by the lack of a national title, he admitted after Wednesday's semifinals.

Not anymore.

"I know there are goals down the line," Corrigan said in the post-race mixed zone. "But I think to win an NCAA championship is really special. It shows you can show up and win on the day, even if it's not a full U.S. stage. To me, it was a big goal and I was glad I was able to pull it off — just as a part of my training towards a long-term goal."

Corrigan has two years of eligibility remaining in cross country, and one more year in track and field to try to defend his title — if he elects to use it.

When asked if he'll try to run it back in 2026, the mild-mannered harrier responded with a grin.

"We'll see," he said. "I'll leave it at that."

The BYU 4x400-meter relay team of Eli Hazlett, Jonah Heimuli, Josh Taylor and Trey Jackson set an all-time school record with a time of 3:02.51, good for seventh in the final behind champion South Florida (3:00.42).

The top-10 finish marks the first All-American first-team honors in the relay in BYU history.

BYU's Luke Grundvig added a 23rd-place finish in the 5,000 meters, finishing in 13:54.70 behind national champion Brian Musau of Oklahoma State (13:20.59).

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