BYU-Runners
Young Women General President Bonnie H. Cordon, right, and Sister Michelle D. Craig, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, left, hosted the BYU women’s cross country championship squad and women’s track and field distance medley relay team in the Relief Society Building on Temple Square in April. Photo by BYU Photo, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Sydney Walker, Church News
The story of 100,000 Relief Society sisters each donating $5 to the construction of the Relief Society Building in the 1940s has special meaning to BYU women’s cross country coach and associate director of track and field Diljeet Taylor, in light of recent national titles her teams have won.
Just as the Relief Society sisters each played a part in constructing the building, “Everyone is contributing, and has contributed, to build our program this year,” she said in a BYU news release. “These national titles weren’t just the women that raced, it was all the women who have contributed over the years.”
The Young Women general presidency hosted the BYU women’s cross country championship squad and women’s track and field distance medley relay team in the Relief Society Building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City in April to celebrate the program’s national titles.
The BYU women’s cross country team won the 2021 NCAA championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on March 15. The squad’s victory marked the fifth all-time national title for the Cougar women runners and the first since 2003.
Three days earlier, the women’s distance medley relay team won the program’s first national title in the event and broke the school record at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The athletes participated in a guided tour of the Relief Society building and a luncheon with Young Women General President Bonnie H. Cordon and Sister Michelle D. Craig, first counselor.
“It was very meaningful to the team to have the presidency tell our women how proud they were and how excited they were watching the races,” Taylor said. “It meant a lot that they took time out of their day and shared their personal pride in what these women accomplished.”
Sister Liz Darger, BYU senior associate athletic director and a member of the Young Women general advisory council, said of the event: “What a thrill for our student-athletes to visit the historic Relief Society Building and have lunch with President Cordon and Sister Craig. These student-athletes are modeling what we hope young women and young men are experiencing through the Children and Youth program.
“As we follow the inspired pattern to discover our gifts and talents, set goals and make a plan to achieve them, act in faith as we practice and develop, and then reflect on what we’ve learned, we can improve and grow and come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Read more about the event at BYUcougars.com.
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