BYU fans had a lot to celebrate in 2024.

From Kenneth Rooks’ silver medal to Andy Reid’s third Super Bowl ring, athletes and coaches tied to the school racked up achievements that made a splash across the country and around the world.

Here are 12 highlights from BYU’s year in sports — one from every month of the year.

January: Puka Nacua breaks two NFL rookie records

Nacua’s stellar rookie season in the NFL reached new heights on Jan. 7 when he broke the league’s rookie records for total receptions and receiving yards during the Los Angeles Rams’ final regular-season game.

Nacua also caught his sixth touchdown of the season during the matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, which the Rams won 21-20.

“To catch the touchdown was sweet, too, to put a nice little cherry on top,” Nacua, a former BYU football star, said after the game.

February: Andy Reid wins third Super Bowl

It may have come down to the wire, but Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs wouldn’t be denied.

They won the Super Bowl over the 49ers on Feb. 11 by scoring a touchdown with three seconds left on the clock.

The win further solidified Reid’s reputation as one of the best coaches in football.

Reid, who played for and briefly coached at BYU, is just the fifth coach in NFL history to win at least three Super Bowls.

March: Jimmer Fredette makes Team USA

When a career in the NBA didn’t pan out, Fredette found a new path to international glory: He embraced 3×3 basketball and helped the U.S. earn a berth in the sport at the Paris Olympics.

In March, Fredette, a former BYU basketball star, was named an official member of Team USA. He’ll forever be in the history books as part of the first U.S. men’s 3×3 team to play in the Olympics.

April: BYU basketball hires Kevin Young

BYU athletics made a splash in April by hiring Young away from the NBA.

The former Phoenix Suns associate head coach was in the running for some top NBA coaching openings when he agreed to move to the college game and lead BYU basketball into a new era.

Young replaced Mark Pope, who left BYU for Kentucky.

May: Egor Demin commits to BYU

BYU basketball’s hot streak continued into May, when Young and his staff secured a commitment from Demin, a top European prospect.

Demin was the cherry on top of an impressive few weeks of recruiting, during which Young also secured Brody Kozlowski, Utah transfer Keba Keita and Elijah Crawford.

Before a knee injury this month, Demin was climbing up 2025 NBA draft boards thanks to his outstanding early-season play.

June: BYU runners shine at Olympic trials

Current and former BYU runners played a starring role in June’s U.S. Olympic track and field trials, following in the footsteps of Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who secured their spots on Team USA at the Olympic Marathon Trials in February.

Rooks and James Corrigan finished first and third, respectively, in the men’s steeplechase event, while Courtney Wayment finished second among the women.

Whittni Morgan, who finished fifth in the women’s 5,000-meter event, also made Team USA after two runners who finished ahead of her at the track and field trials chose to focus on other events in Paris.

July: Coach Diljeet Taylor releases book on empowering women

Taylor, the associate director of track and field for BYU, has been a star in the running world for years.

In 2024, she became a star in the sports world in general, as she rubbed elbows with other top coaches at the Olympics and reached new heights with her athletes.

In July, Taylor released a book, “Believe in Her,” about cultivating confidence in girls. It draws on her experiences as a coach and parent.

August: Kenneth Rooks wins silver medal

“What the heck just happened?” That was the phrase flashing through Rooks’ mind after he won the silver medal in the men’s steeplechase on Aug. 7 at the Olympics, as he told the Deseret News afterward.

If the runner himself was that surprised, imagine how the rest of us were feeling.

The shock of Rooks’ performance can be heard in the NBC commentators’ voices during the race’s final lap.

“Kenneth Rooks is resilient! He’s racing for that silver!” one said as the top three finishers charged toward the finish line.

September: Fred Warner finds the end zone

NFL fans should be used to Warner’s defensive heroics by now, but his pick-six against the New England Patriots on Sept. 29 still felt special.

Warner fell down while intercepting Jacoby Brissett around mid-field, popped up and then returned the ball 45 yards for the score.

It was the second touchdown of the former BYU defender’s seven-year NFL career.

October: BYU football leads Big 12 after undefeated start

BYU football’s 2024 season may have ended on a sour note when the Cougars missed the College Football Playoff, but it sure was fun in September and October.

The team was undefeated until mid-November after being predicted to finish 13th in the 16-team Big 12 before the season began.

BYU will wrap up its surprising season on Dec. 28 in the Alamo Bowl against Colorado.

November: BYU sweeps NCAA cross-country championship

One national championship is nice, but have you considered winning two in one day?

That’s what the BYU men’s and women’s cross-country teams did on Nov. 23, becoming the first matched pair to take home the crowns in 20 years.

Lexy Halladay-Lowry led the way for the BYU women with her 14th-place finish. Casey Clinger, who came in sixth, was the top finisher among the BYU men.

December: Puka Nacua steals the show — again

Nacua’s sophomore NFL season got off to a frustrating start, especially when you compare it to his red-hot rookie campaign.

He missed several games this fall due to injury and was even ejected from one in November for throwing a punch.

But on Sunday, Dec. 8, against the Buffalo Bills, Nacua was magic once again.

He had 162 yards across 12 receptions and rushing and receiving touchdowns in the game, plus a show-stopping sideline catch.