ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced the first of its postseason men’s cross country awards on Wednesday. Oregon head coach Jerry Schumacher was selected as Big Ten Coach of the Year. 

Schumacher coached Oregon to a first-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, marking back-to-back titles for the Ducks' men's team. Under Schumacher's guidance, senior Simeon Birnbaum also claimed the individual title with a time of 23:04.2. The Ducks also claimed the team and individual titles at the Bill Dellinger Invitational for the second year in a row in October. 

This year’s Big Ten Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year award marks the first for Schumacher since 2007 when he guided Wisconsin to a first-place finish. 

The Big Ten also recognizes the Sportsmanship Award honorees from each institution. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have set themselves apart through hard work, sportsmanship and honorable behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and demonstrate good citizenship outside of the sports setting. 

The Big Ten Men’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year and Athlete of the Year awards will be announced following the NCAA Championships, set for Nov. 21 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Indiana and hosted by Indiana State University. 

2026 Big Ten Men’s Cross Country Postseason Awards
Coach of the Year: Jerry Schumacher, Oregon 

2026 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees
William Strickley, Illinois 
Liam Bauschke, Indiana 
Reed Robbins, Iowa 
Heath McAllister, Michigan 
Moses Osterink, Michigan State 
Sam Scott, Minnesota 
Rico Leijenaar, Nebraska 
Colin Cernansky, Ohio State 
Connor McCormick, Oregon 
Ryan Watson, Penn State 
Hugh Jacobsmeyer, Purdue 
Gavin Rossi, Rutgers 
Arrin Sagiraju, UCLA 
Jamar Distel, Washington 
Micah Wilson, Wisconsin