SAN MATEO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference has named its Cross Country Men’s Runner of the Month for September, 2021. 
 
#WCCSPORTS MEN’S RUNNER OF THE MONTH – CONNER MANTZ, SR. – BYU
Senior All-American Conner Mantz continued his dominant career in the opening month of the 2021 season. Mantz was named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week for his first-place performance at the Roy Griak Invitational in St. Paul, Minnesota on Friday, Sept. 24.  
 
The reigning individual national champion battled with Wesley Kiptoo of No. 10 Iowa State throughout the men’s 8K at Griak. As the two All-Americans approached the finish, Mantz pulled ahead from Kiptoo with a final burst of speed, edging the Cyclone runner by one second to seize first-place. Watch the finish HERE.
 
Mantz’s individual win also paved the way for BYU to finish first at Griak, ahead of then No. 10 Iowa State and No. 26 Michigan State.  
 
Prior to the Griak Invitational, the senior from Smithfield, Utah started off the season with a win at the Autumn Classic in Provo, Utah on Saturday, Sept. 11.  
 
The two-time defending West Coast Conference individual champion has now won five consecutive meets and nine for his career.  
 
MANTZ’S SEPTEMBER STATS

Distance	Time	Place	Meet	Date
7.5K	22:17.5	1st	Autumn Classic	Sept. 11, 2021
8K	23:53.9	1st	Roy Griak Invitational	Sept. 24, 2021

Also Nominated:  Yacine Guermali, Gonzaga; Matt Strangio, Portland; Karl Winter, Pepperdine
 
2021-22 #WCCSPORTS Men’s Runners of the Month 
September: Conner Mantz, BYU