Big Ten Conference Releases Preseason Women’s Runners to Watch

ROSEMONT, lll. – The Big Ten Conference’s 2025 Women’s Runners to Watch List was announced on Wednesday, featuring 18 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. In the 2024 season, Oregon won the women’s Big Ten Championship in the programs inaugural season in the Big Ten. The list is highlighted by Şilan Ayyildiz, the Big Ten’s 2024 Runner of the Year. A graduate student for the Ducks, Ayyildiz will look to win back-to-back individual Big Ten Championship titles and break her own record of 19:13.6 she set last year in Champaign, Illinois. 

Including Ayyildiz, nine runners on the preseason list earned postseason honors last year, and five finished within the top 10 at the Big Ten Championships.  

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

Big Ten Women’s Cross Country Runners to Watch 
Avril Andre, Jr., Illinois 
Katelyn Winton, R-Jr., Indiana 
Elena Torres, So., Iowa 
Rose Coats, Jr., Maryland 
Penelopea Gordon, Sr., Michigan 
Rachel Forsyth, So., Michigan State 
Izzy Roemer, R-Jr., Minnesota 
Ali Bainbridge, Jr., Nebraska 
Ava Earl, Gr., Northwestern 
Aniya Mosley, Sr., Ohio State 
Şilan Ayyildiz, Gr., Oregon 
Florence Caron, Gr., Penn State 
Lauren Pegher, So., Purdue 
Kelseigh O’Neil, So., Rutgers 
Olivia Foody, So., UCLA 
Jacqueline Duarte, R-Sr., USC 
Julia David-Smith, Sr., Washington 
Leané Willemse, Gr., Wisconsin