WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue cross country junior Nathan Walker was named the Big Ten Cross Country Male Athlete of the Week on Wednesday by the Big Ten Conference.
Walker's honor, the first of his career, comes after he won the John McNichols Invitational on September 16 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Walker is the first Boilermaker to earn men's cross country athlete of the week accolades since Jaret Carpenter on October 17, 2018.
Against a highly-competitive field on one of the most challenging courses in the country, Walker won the 8k race at the John McNichols Invitational with a time of 24:14.0. He overtook the then-leading Indiana runner with 150 meters left in the race to win by 3.9 seconds.
The individual victory powered Purdue to the team win at the 23-team event. The Boilermaker men earned 45 points to best Belmont (55 points) and Indiana (68). It was the team's third John McNichols title in the last six years, along with 2018 and 2021. This year's win also comes two weeks after the squad claimed the Winrow Valparaiso Open title to open the season on September 1.
Up next for Walker and the Boilermakers, the month of September will conclude at the Live in Lou Classic on September 30 in Louisville, Kentucky.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Walker's honor, the first of his career, comes after he won the John McNichols Invitational on September 16 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Walker is the first Boilermaker to earn men's cross country athlete of the week accolades since Jaret Carpenter on October 17, 2018.
Against a highly-competitive field on one of the most challenging courses in the country, Walker won the 8k race at the John McNichols Invitational with a time of 24:14.0. He overtook the then-leading Indiana runner with 150 meters left in the race to win by 3.9 seconds.
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The individual victory powered Purdue to the team win at the 23-team event. The Boilermaker men earned 45 points to best Belmont (55 points) and Indiana (68). It was the team's third John McNichols title in the last six years, along with 2018 and 2021. This year's win also comes two weeks after the squad claimed the Winrow Valparaiso Open title to open the season on September 1.
Up next for Walker and the Boilermakers, the month of September will conclude at the Live in Lou Classic on September 30 in Louisville, Kentucky.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.