Upcoming Event: Cross Country versus UVU Invitational on August 28, 2026 at TBA
TBA
Cross Country
vs UVU Invitational
The University of Utah Athletics
2026 Cross Country Roster
Roster
Distance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross CountryDistance
/ Cross Country
Tayla Gunton
- Height:
- 5-6
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Hometown:
- Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- High School:
- St. Andrew's Catholic
- Prev School:
- Iona
TFRRS Bio
Personal Bests:
6K (XC): 20:16.3
Mile (Indoors): 4:47.59
3000 (Indoors): 9:11.70
5000 (Indoors): 16:00.63
1500 (Outdoors): 4:29.74
Mile (Outdoors): 4:58.36
3000 (Outdoors): 10:03.38
5000 (Outdoors): 15:49.95
10000 (Outdoors): 33:23.61
Academic Honors:
2026 CSC Academic All-District
2026 Merit Award Recipient (Iona)
2026 MAAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2026 MAAC Women’s Indoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2025 MAAC Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team
2025 CSC Academic All-District
2025 MAAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2025 MAAC Women’s Indoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2024 MAAC Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team
2024 MAAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2024 MAAC Women’s Indoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2023 MAAC Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team
Athletic Honors:
2026 MAAC 1500m Champion (Outdoors)
2026 MAAC 5000m Champion (Outdoors)
2026 MAAC 3000m Champion (Indoors)
2026 MAAC 5000m Champion (Indoors)
2025 MAAC Runner of the Week (Oct. 22)
2025 ECAC Cross Country Champion (Individual)
2023 MAAC Most Outstanding Runner (XC)
2023 MAAC Cross Country Champion (Individual)
2022 MAAC All-Rookie Team (XC)
2026 Outdoor Track:
• Recorded a new PR in the 10000m race at Raleigh Relays with a mark of 33:23.61
• Posted new 5000m personal best time (15:49.95) at Penn Relays
• Captured the 1500m (4:29.74) and 5000m (17:04.24) crowns at the MAAC Championships
• Competed in the 5000m (16:02.62) and 10000m (34:10.01) at her first NCAA East First Rounds
2025-26 Indoor Track:
• Opened the season with a 16:00.63 run in the 5000m race at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Opener
• Posted a mile PR at the Columbia Challenge with a mark of 4:47.59 for eighth-overall
• Ran a new personal best time of 9:11.70 in the 3000m run at the Valentine Invitational
• Captured the 3000m (9:33.64) and 5000m (16:32.63) titles at the MAAC Championships
2025 Cross Country:
• Started the year off with a runner-up finish at the Paul Short Run (20:41.5)
• Captured the ECAC Championships crown with a PR run of 20:20.6, becoming Iona’s first-ever and the MAAC’s third-ever ECAC individual champion
• Was a runner-up finisher and helped Iona take second at the MAAC Championships with a personal best mark of 20:16.3
• Was Iona’s top finisher at the NCAA Northeast Regionals with a time of 20:46.5 for 36th-overall
2025 Outdoor Track:
• Ran a PR time of 4:58.36 in the mile at the Friar Invitational
• Finished fourth-overall in the 1500m (4:43.58) and second in the 5000m (17:20.59) at the MAAC Championships
• Came in seventh at the Princeton Elite Invitational with a 5000m run of 16:41.32
2024-25 Indoor Track:
• Opened the season with a win in the mile at the Holiday Classic (4:55.78)
• Placed third in the 5000m race (16:50.24) and helped 4x800m relay team take fifth at the MAAC Championships
• Came in fourth with a 3000m run of 9:56.76 at the Last Chance Meet hosted by Boston University
2024 Cross Country:
• Did not compete
2024 Outdoor Track:
• Saw action in six outdoor races her first complete track season
• Competed in the 5000m event at the Raleigh Relays
• Came in ninth with a 3000m run of 10:03.38 at the Friar Invitational
• Placed sixth-overall in her first 10000m race at the MAAC Championships
2023-24 Indoor Track:
• Made her track debut at the Rutgers Holiday Classic
• Placed second in the mile at Mets Indoor Championships (5:01.00)
• Came in fifth at the MAAC Championships with a time of 9:56.77 in the 3000m race
• Ran a 4:59.51 in the mile at the ECAC Championships and finished 13th-overall
2023 Cross Country:
• Opened the season with a sixth-place finish (21:13.4) and helped Iona capture at the Loyola Lake Front Invitational title
• Helped Iona place third at the ECAC Championships with a 12th-place finish individually (21:13.4)
• Captured the MAAC Championship with a PR run of 20:54.6 while Iona finished second as a team
• Was Iona’s second finisher at NCAA Northeast regionals with a run of 21:18.8 for 77th-overall
2023 Outdoor Track:
• Did not compete
2022-23 Indoor Track:
• Did not compete
2022 Cross Country:
• Made collegiate at Iona with a 22:36.0 run at IC4A/ECAC Championships
• Placed sixth at the MAAC Championships as Iona’s top finisher with a run of 21:39.3
• Iona’s first finisher at NCAA Northeast Regionals with 21:32.8 run for 47th-overall
High School:
• Was the 1500m (4:56.13) and 5000m (18:33.84) champion at the North Queensland U20 Championships
• Came in third at the Australian U20 Championships with a 3000m run of 9:53.61
• Claimed the 2021 Queensland 3000m Championships crown
• Won the 3000m race at the 2020 Queensland U18 Girls All Schools Championships and was third in the 1500m event
• Captured the 3000m title at the 2020 U18 Queensland Championships
• Finished sixth-overall in the 3000m event at the 2019 Queensland U17 All School Championships
• Placed fifth in the 3000m race at the 2019 Queensland U17 Championships (10:49.42)
Personal:
• Daughter of Alicia Ward and Bryce Gunton
• Has a younger sister, Ava
• Has two younger brothers, Joel and Jai
• Graduated from Iona with a degree in psychology and a minor in drug and alcohol abuse Spring 2026
Personal Bests:
6K (XC): 20:16.3
Mile (Indoors): 4:47.59
3000 (Indoors): 9:11.70
5000 (Indoors): 16:00.63
1500 (Outdoors): 4:29.74
Mile (Outdoors): 4:58.36
3000 (Outdoors): 10:03.38
5000 (Outdoors): 15:49.95
10000 (Outdoors): 33:23.61
Academic Honors:
2026 CSC Academic All-District
2026 Merit Award Recipient (Iona)
2026 MAAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2026 MAAC Women’s Indoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2025 MAAC Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team
2025 CSC Academic All-District
2025 MAAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2025 MAAC Women’s Indoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2024 MAAC Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team
2024 MAAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2024 MAAC Women’s Indoor Track & Field All-Academic Team
2023 MAAC Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team
Athletic Honors:
2026 MAAC 1500m Champion (Outdoors)
2026 MAAC 5000m Champion (Outdoors)
2026 MAAC 3000m Champion (Indoors)
2026 MAAC 5000m Champion (Indoors)
2025 MAAC Runner of the Week (Oct. 22)
2025 ECAC Cross Country Champion (Individual)
2023 MAAC Most Outstanding Runner (XC)
2023 MAAC Cross Country Champion (Individual)
2022 MAAC All-Rookie Team (XC)
2026 Outdoor Track:
• Recorded a new PR in the 10000m race at Raleigh Relays with a mark of 33:23.61
• Posted new 5000m personal best time (15:49.95) at Penn Relays
• Captured the 1500m (4:29.74) and 5000m (17:04.24) crowns at the MAAC Championships
• Competed in the 5000m (16:02.62) and 10000m (34:10.01) at her first NCAA East First Rounds
2025-26 Indoor Track:
• Opened the season with a 16:00.63 run in the 5000m race at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Opener
• Posted a mile PR at the Columbia Challenge with a mark of 4:47.59 for eighth-overall
• Ran a new personal best time of 9:11.70 in the 3000m run at the Valentine Invitational
• Captured the 3000m (9:33.64) and 5000m (16:32.63) titles at the MAAC Championships
2025 Cross Country:
• Started the year off with a runner-up finish at the Paul Short Run (20:41.5)
• Captured the ECAC Championships crown with a PR run of 20:20.6, becoming Iona’s first-ever and the MAAC’s third-ever ECAC individual champion
• Was a runner-up finisher and helped Iona take second at the MAAC Championships with a personal best mark of 20:16.3
• Was Iona’s top finisher at the NCAA Northeast Regionals with a time of 20:46.5 for 36th-overall
2025 Outdoor Track:
• Ran a PR time of 4:58.36 in the mile at the Friar Invitational
• Finished fourth-overall in the 1500m (4:43.58) and second in the 5000m (17:20.59) at the MAAC Championships
• Came in seventh at the Princeton Elite Invitational with a 5000m run of 16:41.32
2024-25 Indoor Track:
• Opened the season with a win in the mile at the Holiday Classic (4:55.78)
• Placed third in the 5000m race (16:50.24) and helped 4x800m relay team take fifth at the MAAC Championships
• Came in fourth with a 3000m run of 9:56.76 at the Last Chance Meet hosted by Boston University
2024 Cross Country:
• Did not compete
2024 Outdoor Track:
• Saw action in six outdoor races her first complete track season
• Competed in the 5000m event at the Raleigh Relays
• Came in ninth with a 3000m run of 10:03.38 at the Friar Invitational
• Placed sixth-overall in her first 10000m race at the MAAC Championships
2023-24 Indoor Track:
• Made her track debut at the Rutgers Holiday Classic
• Placed second in the mile at Mets Indoor Championships (5:01.00)
• Came in fifth at the MAAC Championships with a time of 9:56.77 in the 3000m race
• Ran a 4:59.51 in the mile at the ECAC Championships and finished 13th-overall
2023 Cross Country:
• Opened the season with a sixth-place finish (21:13.4) and helped Iona capture at the Loyola Lake Front Invitational title
• Helped Iona place third at the ECAC Championships with a 12th-place finish individually (21:13.4)
• Captured the MAAC Championship with a PR run of 20:54.6 while Iona finished second as a team
• Was Iona’s second finisher at NCAA Northeast regionals with a run of 21:18.8 for 77th-overall
2023 Outdoor Track:
• Did not compete
2022-23 Indoor Track:
• Did not compete
2022 Cross Country:
• Made collegiate at Iona with a 22:36.0 run at IC4A/ECAC Championships
• Placed sixth at the MAAC Championships as Iona’s top finisher with a run of 21:39.3
• Iona’s first finisher at NCAA Northeast Regionals with 21:32.8 run for 47th-overall
High School:
• Was the 1500m (4:56.13) and 5000m (18:33.84) champion at the North Queensland U20 Championships
• Came in third at the Australian U20 Championships with a 3000m run of 9:53.61
• Claimed the 2021 Queensland 3000m Championships crown
• Won the 3000m race at the 2020 Queensland U18 Girls All Schools Championships and was third in the 1500m event
• Captured the 3000m title at the 2020 U18 Queensland Championships
• Finished sixth-overall in the 3000m event at the 2019 Queensland U17 All School Championships
• Placed fifth in the 3000m race at the 2019 Queensland U17 Championships (10:49.42)
Personal:
• Daughter of Alicia Ward and Bryce Gunton
• Has a younger sister, Ava
• Has two younger brothers, Joel and Jai
• Graduated from Iona with a degree in psychology and a minor in drug and alcohol abuse Spring 2026
Wednesday, November 12
Monday, August 11
Tuesday, April 29
Wednesday, November 17
