WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue cross country’s Douglas Buckeridge and Lauren Pegher were named to the 2025 Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Runners to Watch, announced on Wednesday.
Buckeridge is coming off back-to-back USTFCCCA Great Lakes All-Region campaigns with a runner-up finish in 2024 and a 19th-place finish in 2023. He qualified for the NCAA Cross Country championships last season and finished 43rd, just three places behind All-American status.
In 2024, Buckeridge ran the fastest 8k time (23:11.6) and 10k time (29:12.9) in Purdue history. He also ran the fastest 10k NCAA Championships time (29:27.6) and is the only Boilermaker to break 30 minutes at a national race.
Pegher enters her sophomore season after competing in five races with her best finished 10th in the 5k (18:27.8) at the Winrow-Valparaiso Open. She put together strong indoor and outdoor track & field campaigns headlined by a 4:26.51 in the 1500m that was fifth in school history by a Purdue freshman.
The 2025 cross country season is set to begin on Friday, Aug. 29 at the Winrow-Valparaiso Open.
Big Ten Announces 2025 Cross Country Runners to Watch
Purdue cross country’s Douglas Buckeridge and Lauren Pegher were named to the 2025 Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Runners to Watch, announced on Wednesday.