Michigan State Cross Country Teams Secure Two Top-Five Regional Finishes

Michigan State Cross Country Teams Secure Two Top-Five Regional Finishes

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The Michigan State men’s cross country team took third place in the 10k race on Friday, marking an improvement over their fourth-place finishes in each of the last two years.

Competing at the Great Lakes Regional Championships on their home course of Forest Akers East, the Spartans faced cold conditions as the Lansing Sports Commission hosted the event for the first time. Michigan State University Athletics reported that the No. 21 ranked men’s team finished with 106 points, trailing only Toledo and Notre Dame.

The performance secured the Spartans as the top-finishing Big Ten team in the men’s division. They finished ahead of Wisconsin, who took fourth with 109 points, and Michigan, who placed sixth with 118 points.

Individual performances drove the men’s upward trajectory in the standings. Riley Hough led the Spartans for the second season, finishing 10th in the 10k race with a time of 30:23.6. This result earned Hough his third straight All-Region honor.

Thomas Westphal followed closely in 11th place with a time of 30:24.5, improving his position by one spot compared to last season. Moses Osterink also delivered a strong performance, finishing 16th with a time of 30:34.1. Both Hough and Osterink have now captured All-Region honors at least twice.

The scoring for the men’s team was completed by Parker Lambers, who finished 31st in 30:50.6, and Michael Hegarty, who placed 38th with a time of 30:59.7.

The women’s team finished fifth in their respective race with 185 points. They trailed Toledo, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Indiana in the final standings.

Freshman Klaire Eighner led the women with a 13th-place finish, clocking 20:33.8 in her first Great Lakes Regional. Taylor Pangburn finished 15th in 20:35.9, earning her second All-Region honor, while Eighner secured her first.

The remaining Spartan scorers included Sarah Forsyth in 47th place with a time of 21:29.7, followed by Anjali Kidambi at 21:34.0 and Abrielle Schweitzer at 21:36.9.

The stakes for this regional meet are exceptionally high, as the top two teams in each regional receive automatic bids to the NCAA championships. Teams that do not secure an automatic bid have fewer opportunities to reach the national tournament.

The first four regional finishers who are not already part of an automatic qualifying or at-large team also receive automatic bids. Teams failing to meet these criteria must rely on the NCAA Division I Cross Country Subcommittee to select them as one of only 13 at-large teams. Because only two individual at-large spots are available, a strong regional showing is a primary factor in advancing toward a national title.

Men’s Team Results Points
Toledo 59
Notre Dame 66
Michigan State 106
Wisconsin 109
Michigan 118

This year marks the fifth time in the last six years that at least five Spartans from both the men’s and women’s teams have claimed All-Region honors.

The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m.

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