Purdue Set to Begin 2025 Cross Country Season on Friday

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Cross Country prepares to start the 2025 season at the Winrow Valparaiso Open on Friday, Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. ET.

Men’s Notes
• The men’s team returns seven athletes from the 2024 roster and welcomes three newcomers.
• The group finished fifth in the Great Lakes Region last season and enters this season ranked sixth in the region in the USTFCCCA Preseason Poll.
• Douglas Buckeridge leads the way for the Boilermakers after he finished 43rd at the NCAA Championships and was the runner-up at the Great Lakes Regional. He was named one of the top 50 cross country runners in the country by FloTrack at No. 48 entering the season. Buckeridge holds the top 8k (23:11.6) and 10k (29:12.9) times in Purdue history. 
• Nathan Walker finished 27th last season in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional and 31st at the Big Ten Championships. He holds the No. 3 time in Purdue history in the 8k (23:20.5) and 10k (29:50.3).
• Jason Polydoris and Kiefer Bell both finished 38th and 39th, respectively, at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional last season.
• Other returners to the program include Hugh Jacobsmeyer, Quintin Lowe and Nerius White, while the Boilermakers welcome freshmen Nate Assa, Daniel Emmert and Neal White.

Women’s Notes
• Lauren Pegher is set to lead the Boilermakers in 2025 after she was named to the Big Ten Cross Country Runners to Watch. She competed in five meets last season and had her best finish in 10th at the Winrow Valparaiso Open.
• Paige Hazelrigg is Purdue’s lone returner that participated in the Great Lakes Regional last season.
• Returners Sofia Munoz and Ally Wigand both competed in at least four meets last season.
• Layla Henderson will look to make an impact for the Boilermakers this season after she did not compete in any meets last season. In 2023 at Northern Kentucky, she finished 19th at the Horizon League Championships and 98th in the Southeast Regional.
• Other returners include Julia Economou, Elise Peckinpaugh, Katherine Rumsey and Sophia Yon, while the program welcomes freshmen Elizabeth Butler and Katherine Valentine.

Next Up
The Boilermakers have a weekend off before heading to the Big Ten Preview, hosted by Michigan State, on Sept. 12.