FILE — All-American Whittni Orton finishes top five in her 1500m heat to secure her spot in the final on Saturday at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Last weekend, she finished second in the 3,000-meter run at the prestigious USATF Indoor Championships.
Nate Edwards, BYU Photo
Whittni Morgan, the former BYU collegiate champion, continued her hot streak on the professional track and field circuit by placing a close second in the 3,000-meter run at the USATF Indoor Championships last weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Morgan — often known by her maiden name of Orton — ran stride for stride with Olympian Valerie Constien, losing by .13 of a second, 8:48.29 to 8:48.4. Another former BYU athlete, Courtney Wayment, finished a distant sixth, 16 seconds behind the winner.
Morgan, the 2021 NCAA cross-country champion and the current BYU school record holder in the indoor mile and 3,000-meter, and the outdoor 5,000, has had a strong indoor season. A week before nationals she placed second in the prestigious Millrose Games in New York City with a time of 8:30.13, the second fastest time in the nation this season. In January she placed second in the mile at the Dr. Sander Invitational in New York City with a time of 4:23.97, the fifth fastest time in the nation.