ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Purdue men placed fifth at the 2022 Big Ten Cross Country Championships on Friday morning in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Boilermaker men finished in the top five for the fifth time in the last six years, a feat the team hadn't accomplished since 1950. Sophomore Nathan Walker was 19th overall to pace the team individually on the 8k course.
Purdue's women were 11th as a team, led by sophomore Emma Squires in the 6k race at the University of Michigan Golf Course.
The men's top-five finish is its fifth in six years, after the program earned five total top-five finishes from 1951-2016 (1969, 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986). Prior to 1951, Purdue placed in the top five in 14 of 15 Big Ten Championships contested from 1931-1950.
The current stretch of top-five finishes features a runner-up finish in 2018, a third-place showing in 2020, fourth place in 2019 and fifth in 2017 and 2022.
In the final team standings, the Boilermaker men were fifth overall with 156 points, as they were in ninth place at the 1-mile mark and sixth at two miles before sitting at fifth after three and four miles. Wisconsin won the men's team title with 25 points. The Boilermaker women were 11th with 295 points, as Michigan State claimed the team crown with 78 points. Host-Michigan was the runner-up in both team competitions, with 57 men's points and 86 women's points.
Walker led the men in 19th place with a time of 24.37.4 at his first Big Ten Cross Country Championships. Junior Alex Frey ran a personal-best time of 24:53.4, as he moved up 27 places after the 3-mile mark to finish 26th overall at his inaugural conference championship. Fellow junior Caleb Williams was 43rd in 25:02.1 and sophomore Brady Yoder was right behind him in 44th with a mark of 25:03.2, also racing at his first Big Ten cross country meet.
Senior Bryce Hutchinson was Purdue's fifth point-scoring finisher, as he placed 46th with a personal-best 8k time of 25:05.7 at his first Big Ten championships. Fellow senior Andrew Brandt was close behind in 48th, as he crossed the finish line in 25:07.2. Freshman Jason Polydoris rose nine spots after the 3-mile mark to finish 54th overall in 25:15.8, and graduate student John Pieper moved up five places to finish 61st in 25:25.9 at his first cross country championships.
Graduate student Ian Hunter was 79th in 25:46.5, climbing 11 places after the 3-mile mark, while junior Geno Christofanelli was 80th in 25:49.0 at his first Big Ten Championships.
For the women, Squires posted a 6k time of 21:23.1 to place 51st overall. Junior Payne Turney was close behind in 57th place with a time of 21:28.4, which marked her best finish and time at a Big Ten Cross Country Championships. Senior Emma Tate moved up seven places in the second half of the race to finish 59th overall with a time of 21:31.8.
Senior Ellie Tate crossed the finish line in 78th with a time of 21:51.9, for her best career time at the conference meet. Junior Caroline Jordan ran a personal-best 6k time of 21:54.8 to earn Purdue's fifth point-scoring finish, as she was 80th overall.
Sophomore Lauren Bales placed 95th in 22:08.4, a personal-best time and finish at the Big Ten Championships, while junior Katelyn Wasson was 99th overall in 22:10.9. At their first conference championship, freshmen Katherine Rumsey (106th, 22:20.3) and Sarah Maggio (115th, 22:32.9) rounded out the Boilermakers' finishers.
Up next, Purdue returns to the state of Indiana for the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Friday, November 11. The Boilermakers will be racing for a trip to the NCAA Championships, both individually and as a team.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/CrossCountry. and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Boilermaker men finished in the top five for the fifth time in the last six years, a feat the team hadn't accomplished since 1950. Sophomore Nathan Walker was 19th overall to pace the team individually on the 8k course.
Purdue's women were 11th as a team, led by sophomore Emma Squires in the 6k race at the University of Michigan Golf Course.
The men's top-five finish is its fifth in six years, after the program earned five total top-five finishes from 1951-2016 (1969, 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986). Prior to 1951, Purdue placed in the top five in 14 of 15 Big Ten Championships contested from 1931-1950.
The current stretch of top-five finishes features a runner-up finish in 2018, a third-place showing in 2020, fourth place in 2019 and fifth in 2017 and 2022.
In the final team standings, the Boilermaker men were fifth overall with 156 points, as they were in ninth place at the 1-mile mark and sixth at two miles before sitting at fifth after three and four miles. Wisconsin won the men's team title with 25 points. The Boilermaker women were 11th with 295 points, as Michigan State claimed the team crown with 78 points. Host-Michigan was the runner-up in both team competitions, with 57 men's points and 86 women's points.
Walker led the men in 19th place with a time of 24.37.4 at his first Big Ten Cross Country Championships. Junior Alex Frey ran a personal-best time of 24:53.4, as he moved up 27 places after the 3-mile mark to finish 26th overall at his inaugural conference championship. Fellow junior Caleb Williams was 43rd in 25:02.1 and sophomore Brady Yoder was right behind him in 44th with a mark of 25:03.2, also racing at his first Big Ten cross country meet.
Senior Bryce Hutchinson was Purdue's fifth point-scoring finisher, as he placed 46th with a personal-best 8k time of 25:05.7 at his first Big Ten championships. Fellow senior Andrew Brandt was close behind in 48th, as he crossed the finish line in 25:07.2. Freshman Jason Polydoris rose nine spots after the 3-mile mark to finish 54th overall in 25:15.8, and graduate student John Pieper moved up five places to finish 61st in 25:25.9 at his first cross country championships.
Graduate student Ian Hunter was 79th in 25:46.5, climbing 11 places after the 3-mile mark, while junior Geno Christofanelli was 80th in 25:49.0 at his first Big Ten Championships.
For the women, Squires posted a 6k time of 21:23.1 to place 51st overall. Junior Payne Turney was close behind in 57th place with a time of 21:28.4, which marked her best finish and time at a Big Ten Cross Country Championships. Senior Emma Tate moved up seven places in the second half of the race to finish 59th overall with a time of 21:31.8.
Senior Ellie Tate crossed the finish line in 78th with a time of 21:51.9, for her best career time at the conference meet. Junior Caroline Jordan ran a personal-best 6k time of 21:54.8 to earn Purdue's fifth point-scoring finish, as she was 80th overall.
Sophomore Lauren Bales placed 95th in 22:08.4, a personal-best time and finish at the Big Ten Championships, while junior Katelyn Wasson was 99th overall in 22:10.9. At their first conference championship, freshmen Katherine Rumsey (106th, 22:20.3) and Sarah Maggio (115th, 22:32.9) rounded out the Boilermakers' finishers.
Up next, Purdue returns to the state of Indiana for the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Friday, November 11. The Boilermakers will be racing for a trip to the NCAA Championships, both individually and as a team.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/CrossCountry. and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.