Hough’s Personal-Best Leads MSU Men to Top-10 Finish at Gans Creek Classic
9/26/2025 2:17:00 PM | Cross Country
EAST LANSING, MICH. - Behind Riley Hough's eighth-place finish the Michigan State men's cross country team earned a 10th-place finish at the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri on Friday.
The MSU women also had a solid day finishing 13th with 402 points in a highly competitive field that included nine ranked teams. Florida took the women's title with 102 points. The Gators had finishers 7-8-9-10.
On the men's side, the Spartans finished 10th in the 8k race with 334 points. Fourteen of the top 25 ranked teams were be represented on the men's side, including No. 1 Iowa State and No. 4 BYU. Iowa State took the overall title with 47 points. Washington State's Solomon Kipchoge won the Gold Race with a time of 22:24.7.
The Spartans were led by Hough, who finished eighth with a new personal-best time of 22:50.8. It was also the top time for an American. His previous personal best was 23:08.04 set at the Big Ten Championships in 2024. Moses Osterink crossed the line in 23:32.6 to finish 68th. Jack Pennewell was just shy of a PR with a time of 23:34.0 to take 71st. Thomas Westphal continued his strong start to the season with a time of 23:34.6, which is a new personal best. Michael Hegarty rounded out the scoring for MSU, crossing the line in 23:57.7.
On the women's side, Rosemary Longisa of Washington State finished first with a time of 19:07.0.For the second-straight meet, Rachel Forsyth led the way for the Spartans. She finished 28th with a time of 19.59.4. She had the third-best time of any Big Ten runners behind Oregon's Juliet Cherubet and Dalia Frias.Taylor Pangburn set a new PR with a time of 20:43.15 to be the second MSU finisher, ending 83rd. Taylor Ewert was the third Spartan to cross the line in 20:44.5, followed by Kate Stewart-Barnett in 20:48.2. Olivia Millen also set a new PR in 21:15.7.
Patrick Byrnes took sixth in the men's 8k Black Race with a time of 23:49.1, while Sophia Lucki was ninth in the women's 6k Black Race, running in 20:56.0.
Following the Gans Creek Classic, Michigan State will travel to Madison, Wisconsin for the Nuttycombe Invitational on Oct. 17.
The MSU women also had a solid day finishing 13th with 402 points in a highly competitive field that included nine ranked teams. Florida took the women's title with 102 points. The Gators had finishers 7-8-9-10.
On the men's side, the Spartans finished 10th in the 8k race with 334 points. Fourteen of the top 25 ranked teams were be represented on the men's side, including No. 1 Iowa State and No. 4 BYU. Iowa State took the overall title with 47 points. Washington State's Solomon Kipchoge won the Gold Race with a time of 22:24.7.
The Spartans were led by Hough, who finished eighth with a new personal-best time of 22:50.8. It was also the top time for an American. His previous personal best was 23:08.04 set at the Big Ten Championships in 2024. Moses Osterink crossed the line in 23:32.6 to finish 68th. Jack Pennewell was just shy of a PR with a time of 23:34.0 to take 71st. Thomas Westphal continued his strong start to the season with a time of 23:34.6, which is a new personal best. Michael Hegarty rounded out the scoring for MSU, crossing the line in 23:57.7.
Spartan men finish 10th in the Gans Creek Gold Race led by Riley Hough's 8th-place finish! pic.twitter.com/XStJ4sCWfK
— MSU Track & Field/Cross Country (@MSU_TFXC) September 26, 2025
On the women's side, Rosemary Longisa of Washington State finished first with a time of 19:07.0.For the second-straight meet, Rachel Forsyth led the way for the Spartans. She finished 28th with a time of 19.59.4. She had the third-best time of any Big Ten runners behind Oregon's Juliet Cherubet and Dalia Frias.Taylor Pangburn set a new PR with a time of 20:43.15 to be the second MSU finisher, ending 83rd. Taylor Ewert was the third Spartan to cross the line in 20:44.5, followed by Kate Stewart-Barnett in 20:48.2. Olivia Millen also set a new PR in 21:15.7.
Strong finish in a STACKED field at the Gans Creek Classic led by Rachel Forsyth's season-best time! pic.twitter.com/ay5ocg7IjS
— MSU Track & Field/Cross Country (@MSU_TFXC) September 26, 2025
Patrick Byrnes took sixth in the men's 8k Black Race with a time of 23:49.1, while Sophia Lucki was ninth in the women's 6k Black Race, running in 20:56.0.
Following the Gans Creek Classic, Michigan State will travel to Madison, Wisconsin for the Nuttycombe Invitational on Oct. 17.
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