Hough and Westphal Sweep Big Ten Men’s Cross Country Honors
10/1/2025 5:12:00 PM | Cross Country
EAST LANSING, Mich. - For the second time this season, Michigan State men's cross country runners Riley Hough and Thomas Westphal captured Big Ten Cross Country honors on Wednesday, as announced by the conference office.
Riley Hough, who hails from Hartland, Michigan, earned Big Ten Male Athlete of the Week honors after finishing eighth at the Gans Creek Classic with a new personal-best time of 22:50.7 in the 8k race. He was the top American finisher. This is his second-ever Cross Country Athlete of the Week honor after capturing the award on Sept. 17. Hough was the first Spartan male since Aden Smith on Sept. 28, 2022 to earn the honor.
Thomas Westphal, a native of Fair Haven, Michigan, captured B1G Male Freshman of the Week honors with a personal-best time of 23:34.6 at the Gans Creek Classic. Westphal finished 73rd to help the Spartans take 10th place in the 8k race. Westphal is the first-ever MSU male athlete to earn freshman honors in the second year of the award when he first was honored on Sept. 17.
Michigan State is next in action on Friday, Oct. 17 at the Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin, hosted by the University of Wisconsin.
Riley Hough, who hails from Hartland, Michigan, earned Big Ten Male Athlete of the Week honors after finishing eighth at the Gans Creek Classic with a new personal-best time of 22:50.7 in the 8k race. He was the top American finisher. This is his second-ever Cross Country Athlete of the Week honor after capturing the award on Sept. 17. Hough was the first Spartan male since Aden Smith on Sept. 28, 2022 to earn the honor.
Thomas Westphal, a native of Fair Haven, Michigan, captured B1G Male Freshman of the Week honors with a personal-best time of 23:34.6 at the Gans Creek Classic. Westphal finished 73rd to help the Spartans take 10th place in the 8k race. Westphal is the first-ever MSU male athlete to earn freshman honors in the second year of the award when he first was honored on Sept. 17.
Michigan State is next in action on Friday, Oct. 17 at the Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin, hosted by the University of Wisconsin.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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