Friday, October 31
East Lansing, Mich.
10:35 AM
Michigan State University
vs
Big Ten Championships
Spartan Men’s Cross Country Finishes Second in Big Ten Championships Friday
10/31/2025 7:17:00 PM | Cross Country
EAST LANSING, Mich. - With their best finish since 2016, the Michigan State men's cross country team were runners-up at the 2025 Big Ten Cross Country Championship Friday at Forest Akers East Golf Course in East Lansing.
This was the fifth overall time that the men have hosted and the fourth that the women have. MSU has hosted the championship in 1970, 1981, 1993, 2003, 2012. The Spartan women won at home in 1981, while the men were victorious in 1970.
"I just want to say that I have so much gratitude and am so thankful to our Michigan State staff, the Marshes, Playmakers and the Lansing Sports Commission for all the work they put into this championship day to make it super special and to put on a fantastic product. When you think of community coming together to put on an event that represents excellence, I think we did a phenomenal job," Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Lisa Breznau said. "From a team standpoint, our men are having an historical season. Coach (Aaron) Simoneau has done a phenomenal job with his leadership with that group. Can't say enough about Riley Hough trying to win the individual title and Thomas (Wesphal) finishing third. It was an absolutely great day for the men."
The MSU men took to the stage first in a tight race for the individual title. With a strong final kick, Oregon's Abdel Laadjel took the individual title with a time of 23:11.6. The Spartans' Riley Hough was the runner-up with a time of 23:18.5, which was just shy of his career best at the Gans Creek Classic earlier this season (22:50.8). Hough's second-place finish was the highest since Clark Ruiz was second in 2017. Thomas Westphal finished third with a personal-best time of 23:25.8. Hough and Westphal both earned first-team honors, while Westphal also was named to the All-Freshman team.
Michael Hegarty earned second-team All-Big Ten honors by finishing 16th with a personal-best time of 23:49.1. Jack Pennewell (24:00.6) and Parker Lambers (24:01.6), crossed the in 24th and 25th, respectively.
"I thought it was a huge performance. We didn't have a perfect day, but some guys really stepped up and made a big difference," MSU head cross country coach Aaron Simoneau said. "Getting second in a meet this competitive is huge for this group and the program. It was a great run by Riley. He handled himself with great poise. We hope the guys walk away from this re-affirming what we thought they were and get ready for a 10k in two weeks."
The Spartan women took fifth with 147 points. Oregon women also captured the title with 18 points. For the second-straight season Rachel Forsyth earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, crossing the line in 19:57.6, which was good for sixth place. Paige Marchant was 31st with a season-best time of 20:48.8. Olivia Millen was the third MSU in 20:51.6, which was good for 33rd, while Kate Stewart-Barnett was 37th (20:53.2). The final Spartan in the top five was Taylor Pangburn, finishing 40th with a time of 20:55.1.
"Our women thought we could be fourth-sixth, so to hold steady at fifth and have a very tight head-to-head battle with the University of Wisconsin and to keep their composure, I think they did a fantastic job," Breznau said."We have been training for championship season all season, so I truly think the best is yet to come for both teams."
2025 Men's Cross Country All-Big Ten Honors
First Team
Abdel Laadjel, Oregon
Riley Hough, Michigan State
Thomas Westphal, Michigan State
Evan Bishop, Oregon
Jamar Distel, Washington
Aiden Smith, Oregon
Douglas Buckeridge, Purdue
Christian de Vaal, Wisconsin
Matan Ivri, Wisconsin
Liam Newhart, Wisconsin
Second Team
Nathan Lopez, Michigan
Benjamin Balazs, Oregon
Connor Burns, Oregon
Trent McFarland, Michigan
Luke Venhuizen, Michigan
Michael Hegarty, Michigan State
Simeon Birnbaum, Oregon
Nathan Walker, Purdue
Tayson Echohawk, Oregon
Jack Meier, Oregon
All-Freshman Team
Thomas Westphal, Michigan State
Jack Meier, Oregon
Andreas Dybdahl, UCLA
Everett Capelle, UCLA
Aloysius Franzen, Minnesota
2025 Women's Cross Country All-Big Ten Honors
First Team
Diana Cherotich, Oregon
Juliet Cherubet, Oregon
Silan Ayyildiz, Oregon
Florence Caron, Penn State
Dalia Frias, Oregon
Rachel Forsyth, Michigan State
Mia Barnett, Oregon
Charlotte Costich, Penn State
Anika Thompson, Oregon
Rose Coats, Maryland
Second Team
Chloe Foerster, Washington
Ada Rand, Penn State
Ava Earl, Northwestern
Ava Critini, Northwestern
Maeve Stiles, Washington
Berlyn Shutz, Nebraska
Maddy Whitman, Northwestern
Ali Bainbridge, Nebraska
Abby DeVeau, Washington
Aniya Mosley, Ohio State
All-Freshman Team
Diana Cherotich, Oregon
Abby DeVeau, Washington
Sara Mlodik, Wisconsin
Ava Jarrell, Indiana
Alexandra Joyce, Nebraska
This was the fifth overall time that the men have hosted and the fourth that the women have. MSU has hosted the championship in 1970, 1981, 1993, 2003, 2012. The Spartan women won at home in 1981, while the men were victorious in 1970.
"I just want to say that I have so much gratitude and am so thankful to our Michigan State staff, the Marshes, Playmakers and the Lansing Sports Commission for all the work they put into this championship day to make it super special and to put on a fantastic product. When you think of community coming together to put on an event that represents excellence, I think we did a phenomenal job," Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Lisa Breznau said. "From a team standpoint, our men are having an historical season. Coach (Aaron) Simoneau has done a phenomenal job with his leadership with that group. Can't say enough about Riley Hough trying to win the individual title and Thomas (Wesphal) finishing third. It was an absolutely great day for the men."
The MSU men took to the stage first in a tight race for the individual title. With a strong final kick, Oregon's Abdel Laadjel took the individual title with a time of 23:11.6. The Spartans' Riley Hough was the runner-up with a time of 23:18.5, which was just shy of his career best at the Gans Creek Classic earlier this season (22:50.8). Hough's second-place finish was the highest since Clark Ruiz was second in 2017. Thomas Westphal finished third with a personal-best time of 23:25.8. Hough and Westphal both earned first-team honors, while Westphal also was named to the All-Freshman team.
Michael Hegarty earned second-team All-Big Ten honors by finishing 16th with a personal-best time of 23:49.1. Jack Pennewell (24:00.6) and Parker Lambers (24:01.6), crossed the in 24th and 25th, respectively.
"I thought it was a huge performance. We didn't have a perfect day, but some guys really stepped up and made a big difference," MSU head cross country coach Aaron Simoneau said. "Getting second in a meet this competitive is huge for this group and the program. It was a great run by Riley. He handled himself with great poise. We hope the guys walk away from this re-affirming what we thought they were and get ready for a 10k in two weeks."
The Spartan women took fifth with 147 points. Oregon women also captured the title with 18 points. For the second-straight season Rachel Forsyth earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, crossing the line in 19:57.6, which was good for sixth place. Paige Marchant was 31st with a season-best time of 20:48.8. Olivia Millen was the third MSU in 20:51.6, which was good for 33rd, while Kate Stewart-Barnett was 37th (20:53.2). The final Spartan in the top five was Taylor Pangburn, finishing 40th with a time of 20:55.1.
"Our women thought we could be fourth-sixth, so to hold steady at fifth and have a very tight head-to-head battle with the University of Wisconsin and to keep their composure, I think they did a fantastic job," Breznau said."We have been training for championship season all season, so I truly think the best is yet to come for both teams."
2025 Men's Cross Country All-Big Ten Honors
First Team
Abdel Laadjel, Oregon
Riley Hough, Michigan State
Thomas Westphal, Michigan State
Evan Bishop, Oregon
Jamar Distel, Washington
Aiden Smith, Oregon
Douglas Buckeridge, Purdue
Christian de Vaal, Wisconsin
Matan Ivri, Wisconsin
Liam Newhart, Wisconsin
Second Team
Nathan Lopez, Michigan
Benjamin Balazs, Oregon
Connor Burns, Oregon
Trent McFarland, Michigan
Luke Venhuizen, Michigan
Michael Hegarty, Michigan State
Simeon Birnbaum, Oregon
Nathan Walker, Purdue
Tayson Echohawk, Oregon
Jack Meier, Oregon
All-Freshman Team
Thomas Westphal, Michigan State
Jack Meier, Oregon
Andreas Dybdahl, UCLA
Everett Capelle, UCLA
Aloysius Franzen, Minnesota
2025 Women's Cross Country All-Big Ten Honors
First Team
Diana Cherotich, Oregon
Juliet Cherubet, Oregon
Silan Ayyildiz, Oregon
Florence Caron, Penn State
Dalia Frias, Oregon
Rachel Forsyth, Michigan State
Mia Barnett, Oregon
Charlotte Costich, Penn State
Anika Thompson, Oregon
Rose Coats, Maryland
Second Team
Chloe Foerster, Washington
Ada Rand, Penn State
Ava Earl, Northwestern
Ava Critini, Northwestern
Maeve Stiles, Washington
Berlyn Shutz, Nebraska
Maddy Whitman, Northwestern
Ali Bainbridge, Nebraska
Abby DeVeau, Washington
Aniya Mosley, Ohio State
All-Freshman Team
Diana Cherotich, Oregon
Abby DeVeau, Washington
Sara Mlodik, Wisconsin
Ava Jarrell, Indiana
Alexandra Joyce, Nebraska
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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