Thomas Westphal Named Big Ten Cross Country Freshman of the Year
11/26/2025 3:34:00 PM | Cross Country
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State's Thomas Westphal was named Big Ten Male Freshman of the Year on Wednesday, as voted on by the Big Ten coaches.
He had a sensational rookie campaign, including leading the Spartans at the NCAA Championships in Columbia, Missouri last week. He finished 59th with a career-best 10k time of 29:19.0.
He twice earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. Westphal, a native of Fair Haven, Michigan, captured his first B1G Male Freshman of the Week honor with a personal-best time of 23:34.6 at the Gans Creek Classic on Sept. 26 in Columbia, Missouri. His second honor came after the Nuttycombe finishing 23rd overall with a time of 23:40.3 at the Nuttycombe Invitational 8k on Oct. 17 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Westphal is the first Spartan man to capture Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors since David Madrigal in 2011 and the fifth overall. Steve Padgett earned the honor in 2000, while Joe Leo was honored in 1996. The first Michigan State men's cross country athlete to be honored as Freshman of the Year was Michigan State Hall of Famer Anthony Hamm in 1987.
Westphal follows in the footsteps of Rachel Forsyth, who was Big Ten Women's Cross Country Freshman of the Year in 2024..
He had a sensational rookie campaign, including leading the Spartans at the NCAA Championships in Columbia, Missouri last week. He finished 59th with a career-best 10k time of 29:19.0.
He twice earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. Westphal, a native of Fair Haven, Michigan, captured his first B1G Male Freshman of the Week honor with a personal-best time of 23:34.6 at the Gans Creek Classic on Sept. 26 in Columbia, Missouri. His second honor came after the Nuttycombe finishing 23rd overall with a time of 23:40.3 at the Nuttycombe Invitational 8k on Oct. 17 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Westphal is the first Spartan man to capture Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors since David Madrigal in 2011 and the fifth overall. Steve Padgett earned the honor in 2000, while Joe Leo was honored in 1996. The first Michigan State men's cross country athlete to be honored as Freshman of the Year was Michigan State Hall of Famer Anthony Hamm in 1987.
Westphal follows in the footsteps of Rachel Forsyth, who was Big Ten Women's Cross Country Freshman of the Year in 2024..
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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