Spartan Harriers Hough and Westphal Sweep Big Ten Men’s Cross Country Honors For Second Time
10/22/2025 7:33:00 PM | Cross Country
MSU duo earns B1G Cross Country accolades for third time this season.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's cross country runners Riley Hough and Thomas Westphal captured Big Ten Cross Country honors on Wednesday, as announced by the conference office, for the third time this season.
Riley Hough, who hails from Hartland, Michigan, earned Big Ten Male Athlete of the Week honors after placing eighth at last weekend's Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin, with an 8K time of 23:32.1. Hough was the highest finishing Big Ten athlete in the race, as he helped lead the Spartans to a seventh-place finish with 245 points, which was best among the Big Ten schools.
Thomas Westphal, a native of Fair Haven, Michigan, captured B1G Male Freshman of the Week recognition after he finished No. 2 for the Spartans and 23rd overall with a time of 23:40.3 at the Nuttycombe Invitational 8K, in helping MSU to the seventh-place finish with 245 points, which was best among the Big Ten schools.
Hough and Westphal picked up their third weekly awards of the season, as they also collected the B1G Cross Country accolades on Sept. 17 and Oct. 1.
Next up, MSU will have selected members of the team competing at the Eastern Michigan University Fall Classic on Friday, Oct. 24, at Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter, Mich. Both the men's and women's teams will be racing the 5K. The men's race will begin at 4:30 p.m., followed by the women's race which will start at 5 p.m.
Michigan State will then host the 2025 Big Ten Conference Cross Country Championships on Friday, Oct. 31 at Forest Akers East Golf Course. This is the first time that the teams have hosted the Big Ten Cross Country Championships since 2012.
Riley Hough, who hails from Hartland, Michigan, earned Big Ten Male Athlete of the Week honors after placing eighth at last weekend's Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin, with an 8K time of 23:32.1. Hough was the highest finishing Big Ten athlete in the race, as he helped lead the Spartans to a seventh-place finish with 245 points, which was best among the Big Ten schools.
Thomas Westphal, a native of Fair Haven, Michigan, captured B1G Male Freshman of the Week recognition after he finished No. 2 for the Spartans and 23rd overall with a time of 23:40.3 at the Nuttycombe Invitational 8K, in helping MSU to the seventh-place finish with 245 points, which was best among the Big Ten schools.
Hough and Westphal picked up their third weekly awards of the season, as they also collected the B1G Cross Country accolades on Sept. 17 and Oct. 1.
Next up, MSU will have selected members of the team competing at the Eastern Michigan University Fall Classic on Friday, Oct. 24, at Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter, Mich. Both the men's and women's teams will be racing the 5K. The men's race will begin at 4:30 p.m., followed by the women's race which will start at 5 p.m.
Michigan State will then host the 2025 Big Ten Conference Cross Country Championships on Friday, Oct. 31 at Forest Akers East Golf Course. This is the first time that the teams have hosted the Big Ten Cross Country Championships since 2012.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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