Wisconsin, Penn State and Northwestern Earn Cross Country Weekly Honors

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Wisconsin senior Bob Liking and Penn State redshirt-freshman Nick Sloff secured Big Ten Weekly Honors for men’s cross country, while Penn State senior Florence Caron and Northwestern redshirt-freshman Ava Criniti claimed recognition for women’s cross country.

Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Bob Liking, Wisconsin
Sr. – St. Charles, Ill. – St. Charles East – Major: Health Promotion and Health Equity  

• Earned a personal best at the Wisconsin Pre-Nationals with an 8K time of 22:54.6
• Placed sixth overall, which was first among Big Ten competitors
• Helped Wisconsin to a sixth-place finish, the best of any Big Ten team at the event

Men’s Cross Country Freshman of the Week
Nick Sloff, Penn State
R-Fr. – State College, Pa. – State College – Major: Architectural Engineering    

• Clocked a personal-best 23:22.2 8K mark to come in 21st overall at the Princeton Fall Classic
• Has been a top-three runner for the Nittany Lions in every race this season

Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Florence Caron, Penn State
Sr. – La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada – Laval – Major: Linguistics

• Finished third overall at the Princeton Fall Classic
• Her 19:25.1 6K time was 38.1 seconds faster than her previous top time at the distance
• Led No. 21 Penn State to a fourth-place team finish, pushing her team to defeat No. 23 Syracuse and No. 25 Villanova

Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Week
Ava Criniti, Northwestern
R-Fr. – Lexington, Mass. – Lexington – Major: Undeclared

• Ran the 6K red race at the Bradley Pink Classic in 20:37.2
• Finished 11th overall and helped Northwestern claim the team title at the event

2024 Big Ten Men’s Cross Country Athletes of the Week
Sept. 4
A: Noah Kohut-Jackson, Gr., MINN
F: Jack Agnew, R-Fr., OSU

Sept. 11
A: Nick Sloff, R-Fr., PSU
F: Nick Sloff, R-Fr., PSU

Sept. 18
A: Christian De Vaal, R-Fr., WIS
F: Christian De Vaal, R-Fr., WIS

Sept. 25
A: Dennis Chapman, Fr., NEB
F: Weston Day, Fr., OSU

Oct. 2
A: Caleb Jarema, Jr., MICH
F: Simeon Birnbaum, R-Fr., ORE

Oct. 9
A: Bob Liking, Sr., WIS
F: Nick Sloff, R-Fr., PSU

Oct. 16
A: Elliott Cook, Sr., ORE
F: Tayson Echohawk, R-Fr., ORE

Oct. 23
A: Bob Liking, Sr., WIS
F: Nick Sloff, R-Fr., PSU

2024 Big Ten Women’s Cross Country Athletes of the Week
Sept. 4
A: Rose Coats, So., MD
F: Eva Rogers, Fr., MD

Sept. 11
A: Berlyn Schutz, So., NEB
F: Nora Gremban, Fr., WIS

Sept. 18
A: Lindsay Cunningham, Sr., WIS
F: Elena Torres, Fr., IOWA

Sept. 25
A: Ali Weimer, Jr., MINN
F: Anjali Hocker Singh, Fr., MICH

Oct. 2
A: Florence Caron, Sr., PSU
F: Elena Torres, Fr., IOWA

Oct. 9
A: Ali Weimer, Jr., MINN
F: Isabelle Schmitz, Fr., MINN

Oct. 16
A: Maddy Elmore, Sr., ORE
F: Ali Ince, Fr., ORE

Oct. 23
A: Florence Caron, Sr., PSU
F: Ava Criniti, R-Fr., NU