BYU Coach Diljeet Taylor After Winning The 2024 NCAA XC Championships Women's Team Title | Recap & Reflections

“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 SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS WAHOO: KICKR RUN - a new revolutionary treadmill offering the freedom and form of outdoor running at home, from Wahoo Fitness. Run hands-free and focus solely on the joy of running with the innovative RunFree Mode - which adjusts to your stride and pace automatically. For the first time runners can now fully benefit from indoor training apps such as Zwift Run and the Wahoo app for an immersive training experience that delivers unmatched realism and results. Learn more at WahooFitness.com OLIPOP: For the past year, we’ve redefined Olipop as more than just a healthy drink known for its gut microbiome with a low sugar content and a much better alternative to regular soda. You know there are more than 16 flavors, including classic root beer, cherry cola, and lemon-lime. You know it as The Runner’s Soda. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 25% off your orders by using code CITIUS25 at drinkolipop.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠