Big Ten Conference Announces Preseason Men’s Runners to Watch

ROSEMONT, lll. – The Big Ten Conference’s 2025 Men’s Runners to Watch List was announced on Wednesday, featuring 15 cross country student-athletes. The watch list was determined by the conference’s head coaches.  

The 2025 cross country season is set to begin on Friday, Aug. 29. Defending Big Ten champion Wisconsin has won seven straight men’s titles, dating back to 2018. A new individual champion will be crowned this year at the Big Ten Championship in East Lansing, Michigan, as Wisconsin’s Bob Liking, a four-time winner and Big Ten Championship record holder, graduated this past Spring.  

On the list, five collected post season honors in 2024, including three who earned a top 10 finish at the Big Ten Championship.  

The complete 2025 Men’s Runners to Watch List can be found below: 

Big Ten Men’s Cross Country Runners to Watch 
Joshua Daggett, Gr., Illinois 
Abe Eckman, Sr., Indiana 
Miles Wilson, Jr., Iowa 
Luke Venhuizen, Sr., Michigan 
Lezawe Osterink, Jr., Michigan State 
Aidan Jones, R-So., Minnesota 
Rico Leijenaar, So., Nebraska 
Weston Day, So., Ohio State 
Aiden Smith, Jr., Oregon 
Brian DiCola, Jr., Penn State 
Douglas Buckeridge, Sr., Purdue 
Jack Tavaglione, Sr., Rutgers 
Henry Coughlan, R-So., UCLA 
Evan Jenkins, Sr., Washington 
Matan Ivri, R-So., Wisconsin