MSU Men’s Cross Country Finishes Third in Big Ten Championships Friday

Friday, October 30

Madison, Wis.

Michigan State University

Big Ten Championships

10/30/2026 5:40:00 PM | Cross Country

Final Results

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's cross country team finished third at the 2026 Big Ten Cross Country Championship Friday at Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course in Madison, Wisconsin.

After finishing second in East Lansing in 2025, the Spartans came back with another strong performance with 90 points in the 8k race. Oregon finished first with 23 points, followed by Wisconsin with 62 points. Last season's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Thomas Westphal was the top Spartan finisher, taking fifth place with a time of 23:16.1. He was among the leading pack for much of the race before Oregon's Simeon Birnbaum pulled away for the win. Westphal earned first-team All-Big Ten honors due to his personal-best finish. He has now captured two-straight first-team All-Big Ten honors. Riley Hough earned his second-straight All-Big Ten honor, earning second-team accolades. Hough finished 12th with a time of 23:20.3.

Moses Osterink was the third Spartan to cross the line, finishing in 23rd (23:38.7), which was a personal best. Michael Hegarty finished 25th (23:42.9). Beckett Crooks was named to the All-Freshman team, taking 31st with a personal-best time of 23:49.2. Jasper Cane was the final Michigan State scorer, taking 28th (23:47.6).

The Spartan women finished ninth with 238 points in the 6k race. Oregon women also captured the title with 35 points. Klaire Eighner had a breakout performance for Michigan State. She earned second-team All-Big Ten and All-Freshman honors with a personal-best time of 20:13.1.

Taylor Pangburn was 35th, crossing the line in 20:37.9. Anjali Kidambi set a new PR with a time of 21:00.0, which was good for 61st. Maya Ledesma set a huge personal best (21:01.8), while the final MSU scorer was Abrielle Schweitzer (21:04.8).

Michigan State now prepares for the NCAA Great Lakes Regional held in East Lansing at Forest Akers East on Nov. 13.

2026 Women's Cross Country All-Big Ten Honors
First Team
Katy Zang, Indiana
Ali Weimer, Minnesota
Isabelle Schmitz, Minnesota
Ali Bainbridge, Nebraska
Ava Criniti, Northwestern
Katie Clute, Northwestern
Dalia Frias, Oregon
Diana Cherotich, Oregon
Juliet Cherubet, Oregon
Sherry Drury, Washington

Second Team
Penelopea Gordon, Michigan
Klaire Eighner, Michigan State
Marion Jepchumba, Nebraska
Skye Ellis, Northwestern
Ella Thorsett, Oregon
Sofia Thogersen, Oregon
Claire Zubey, Penn State
Katie Dallas, Penn State
Charlotte Costich, Penn State
Nicole Bissell, Washington

All-Freshman Team
Katy Zang, Indiana
Klaire Eighner, Michigan State
Marion Jepchumba, Nebraska
Sofia Thogersen, Oregon
Sherry Drury, Washington

2026 Men's Cross Country All-Big Ten Honors
First Team
Nathan Lopez, Michigan
Thomas Westphal, Michigan State
Aiden Smith, Oregon
Benjamin Balazs, Oregon
Evan Jenkins, Oregon
Connor Burns, Oregon
Simeon Birnbaum, Oregon
Tayson Echohawk, Oregon
Archie Noakes, Wisconsin
Grady Lenn, Wisconsin

Second Team
Frank Buchanan, Illinois
Riley Hough, Michigan State
Aidan Jones, Minnesota
Emmett Geres, Minnesota
Juan Gonzalez, Oregon
Xavier Perras-Phaneuf, Oregon
Nick Sloff, Penn State
Theo Schucht, Washington
Johnny Livingstone, Wisconsin
Micah Wilson, Wisconsin

All-Freshman Team
Frank Buchanan, Illinois
Beckett Crooks, Michigan State
Juan Gonzalez, Oregon
Xavier Perras-Phaneuf, Oregon
Grady Lenn, Wisconsin