Michigan State, Wisconsin Claim 2023 Cross Country Championships

Spartans claim fourth title in five years, Badgers win for sixth consecutive year

MADISON, Wis. – Michigan State claimed its fourth women’s title in the last five years, while Wisconsin earned its sixth straight men’s title at the 2023 Big Ten Conference Cross Country Championships on Oct. 27 at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course.

Michigan State's women’s program earned its fourth title under Director of Cross Country and Track & Field, Lisa Breznau. The Spartans registered 46 points, beating runner-up Wisconsin by 35 points. MSU was led by duo Makenna Veen and Katie Osika who placed second and third overall, respectively.

Ohio State's Addie Engel won the individual title, finishing the 6k in 20:47.9. She defended her title, beating Wisconsin's Leane Willemse by 9.6 seconds.

For the sixth consecutive year, the Wisconsin men’s cross country program takes home the Big Ten Championship. The Badgers totaled 19 points, claiming the fourth lowest score in Big Ten history. They beat out runner-up Michigan by a total of 44 points and placed six runners in the top 10. Head coach Mick Byrne now holds the conference record with 13 championships to his name.

Wisconsin’s Bob Liking earned the men’s individual title, finishing the 8k in 23:57.0, beating his teammate Jackson Sharp by 9.5 seconds. Liking won his third consecutive Big Ten individual cross country championship.

The All-Big Ten first and second teams are listed below- the top seven finishers at the Big Ten Championships earn first-team all-conference honors, while the runners ending up in places 8-14 are awarded second-team All-Big ten accolades.

For more information, visit Championships Central at bigten.org/xcchamps.

Women’s Honorees:

First-Team All-Big Ten

Addie Engel, Ohio State

Leane Willemse, Wisconsin

Makenna Veen, Michigan State

Katie Osika, Michigan State

Katherine Hessler, Northwestern

Madaline Ullom, Penn State

Kayla Windemuller, Michigan

Second-Team All-Big Ten

Daniella Santos, Ohio State

Alexa Westley, Wisconsin

Lauren Freeland, Wisconsin

Florence Caron, PSU

Lani Bloom, Michigan

Kileigh Kane, Penn State

Grace Molloy, Michigan State

Men’s Honorees:

First-Team All-Big Ten

Bob Liking, Wisconsin

Jackson Sharp, Wisconsin

Tom Brady, Michigan

Evan Bishop, Wisconsin

Adam Spencer, Wisconsin

Andrew Nolan, Michigan State

Rowen Ellenberg, Wisconsin

Second-Team All-Big Ten

Owen MacKenzie, Michigan

Jack Roberts, Illinois

Micah Wilson, Wisconsin

Caleb Jarema, Michigan

Nathan Walker, Purdue

Alexander Penski, Michigan State

Owen Huard, Michigan State