The final whistle should have felt loud. Instead, for BYU lacrosse player Taylor Crump, everything seemed to stop at once.
After months of pressure, sacrifice and expectation, the Cougars stood alone at the top of the MCLA world as national champions.
Teammates stormed the field in celebration, but Crump could hardly process the moment in front of him. Along with helping lead the Cougars to a national title, Crump was also named to the MCLA All-Tournament Team, cementing his impact on BYU’s championship run.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Crump said. “It felt like all the sacrifices made last year were worth it. Pure joy and excitement.”
For BYU, the championship season was not defined by perfection. It was shaped by adversity.
Early in the year, the Cougars suffered a loss to rival Utah Valley University, forcing the team to confront difficult questions about who they really were. Crump said that moment changed the trajectory of the season.
“I believe the team went through periods of awakening, doubt and uncertainty,” he said. “Were we good enough? What is this team really made of? It’s easy when you’re winning but hard to band together as a group through adversity.”
Instead of breaking, BYU responded. The loss became fuel. Practices sharpened. Leadership mattered more. And as one of the team’s senior leaders, Crump understood his role went far beyond statistics.
“A big responsibility I carried was having been there, done that mentality and lead from the front,” he said. “The way I carried myself in big or small situations was everything.”
That leadership helped steady a BYU team that slowly transformed into the most dangerous group in the country. By the time the Cougars captured the RMLC championship, Crump said something inside the locker room had shifted.
“I knew this team was going to win it all,” he said. “We were officially the team to beat with way too much momentum to slow us down. I could feel it coming.”
But Crump’s journey at BYU was about more than lacrosse.
Over the course of four years in Provo, he built a life while building a championship career. He got married. He became a father to his baby boy. He discovered the direction he wanted his future to take. Through every change, lacrosse remained tied to something deeper.
“BYU lacrosse has made me a more spiritual individual,” Crump said. “Having daily reminders of my Savior has been amazing to come back to every day as I have had so many different life events happen.”
Now, as his BYU career comes to a close, Crump hopes the next generation of players remembers what made this team special, not just talent, but grit, sacrifice, and belief in one another.
Years from now, he knows the memories will stay with him long after the celebrations fade.
Two championship seasons. Brotherhood. Beating rivals when it mattered most. An All-Tournament Team selection.
“Forever grateful,” Crump said.