MADISON, Wis. – Purdue Cross Country completed the 2026 Big Ten Championships on Friday with both teams finishing three spots higher than their seeding. Hugh Jacobsmeyer (29th) and Douglas Buckeridge (30th) were a pair of top 30 finishers on the men’s side, while Lauren Pegher (31st) led the women’s side.
Men’s Notes
• Jacobsmeyer ran 23:47.8 to finish 29th and pace the Boilers in the 8k race. His placement is 72 spots higher than he finished last season. Friday marked the first time in Jacobsmeyer’s career that he led Purdue in a cross country meet.
• Buckeridge finished one spot behind Jacobsmeyer in 23:48.1. He took 30th this season after he took seventh last season, 21st in 2024 and 16th in 2023.
• Nerius White (24:17.7) and Daniel Emmert (24:19.4) finished 60th and 62nd. White improved four spots from last season, while Emmert improved by 65.
• Nate Assa rounded out Purdue’s scoring athletes in 69th (24:23.0), 43 spots better than he finished last season.
• Purdue finished seventh out of 15 programs after going into Big Tens ranked 10th.
Women’s Notes
• Lauren Pegher ran a 6k personal best 20:36.3 to finish 31st and lead the Boilers. Her placement in 94 spots higher than 2025 and 115 higher than 2024.
• Sawyer DeWitt finished second on Purdue in 95th (21:29.6). The race marked her first Big Tens after she transferred in from Indiana State this summer.
• Katherine Valentine (21:55.5) and Paige Hazelrigg (21:56.0) finished within a half-second of each other to take 115th and 116th. Valentine improved 22 spots from last season.
• Julia Economou was Purdue’s fifth finisher in 121st (21:59.2).
• Purdue finished 14th out of 18 programs after going into Big Tens ranked 17th.
Next Up
The Boilers turn their attention to the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Friday, Nov. 13 in East Lansing, Mich.
