ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Men’s Cross Country weekly award winners for competitions that occurred between Oct. 14-21.  

Athlete of the Week  
Kyle Montgomery, Iowa 
Junior – Greenwood, Ind. – Center Grove High School 

• Ran a PR 23:40.1 in the 8K at the Bradley Pink Classic 

• Placed 30th overall and posted the program’s sixth-fastest time in school history 

• Led Iowa for the fourth time through four meets this season  

• Last Iowa Athlete of the Week Award: Luke Knepp (Sept. 24, 2025) 

 
Freshman of the Week 
Liam Bauschke, Indiana 
Freshman – Mishawaka, Ind. – Mishawaka High School 

• Top team finisher at the Under Armour Pre-National meet with a time of 24:19.7 

• His time was best amongst Big Ten freshmen at the meet   

• This marks Bauschke’s second Freshman of the Week Award this season. Last: Oct. 7, 2026 
   

2026 Men’s Cross Country Athletes of the Week 
Sept. 9 
Athlete: Will McGraw, OSU 
Freshman: Grady Lenn, WIS 

Sept. 16 
Athlete: Jasper Cane, MSU 
Freshman: Beckett Crooks, MSU 

Sept. 23 
Athlete: Jasper Cane, MSU 
Freshman: Grady Lenn 

Sept. 30 
Athlete: Nathan Lopez, MICH/Tayson Echohawk, ORE 
Freshman: Jack Bidwell, MICH 

Oct. 7 
Athlete: Nick Sloff, PSU 
Freshman: Liam Bauschke, IND 

Oct. 14 
Athlete: Simeon Birnbaum, ORE 
Freshman: Grady Lenn, WIS 

Oct. 21 
Athlete: Kyle Montgomery, IOWA 
Freshman: Liam Bauschke, IND