Seventh Heaven: Badgers win seventh straight Big Ten title

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – It was a historic day for the Wisconsin men's senior cross country program Friday at the Orange and Blue Golf Course Bob likes it became the first Badger in school history to win four straight Big Ten individual titles and led UW to its seventh straight Big Ten Championship.

Liking crossed the finish line in 22 minutes, 47.3 seconds, nearly 8 seconds ahead of the runner-up, becoming only the fourth men's student-athlete to win four Big Ten men's cross country titles and the second, who won four titles in a row.

Bob likes it has his FOURTH #B1GXC Men's Championship…AND a championship record time!

📺: @BigTenNetwork X @BadgerTrackXC pic.twitter.com/9mD8VCFHsG

– Big Ten Conference (@bigten) November 1, 2024

The redshirt freshman duo of Christian de Vaal And Matan Ivri achieved the top 10 finishes as de Vaal finished seventh in 22:58.9 while Ivri finished tenth in 22:59.7.

Second semester Johnny Livingstone finished 13th in 23:02.5 and Rowen Ellenberg capped the scoring for UW, crossing the finish line in 23:06.5 for 15th place.

2024 Olympian Adam Spencer finished 22nd in 23:11.9 and Micah Wilson 25th place in 23:15.0.

Wisconsin finished with a score of 46, followed by Washington and Oregon with 58 points each.

Important instructions

• Liking joins Illinois legend Craig Virgin as the only Big Ten student-athletes to win four straight cross country titles, as Virgin won titles in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976. Indiana's Bob Kennedy (1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992) and Michigan's Kevin Sullivan (1993, 1994, 1995 and 1997) also won four Big Ten men's titles, but not in consecutive years.
• Liking also set a Big Ten Conference record with his time of 22:47.3, breaking Purdue's Matt McClintock's previous 8K record of 23:12 set in 2015.
• Mick Byrne captured its 14th men's Big Ten Conference title leading the Badger program.
• Liking, de Vaal and Ivri earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, while Livingstone and Ellenberg earned second-team conference honors. Additionally, de Vaal and Ivri were named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Straight from the course
Mick ByrneUW Director of Athletics and Cross Country
On Wisconsin winning its 55th conference title:
“It's fantastic at the moment. Obviously we had a huge target on our back with the addition of the West Coast schools. The unknown, we weren't sure what Oregon had, but we expected them to come out and give it.” “It was a great race, same with Washington.”

To Bob likes it Winning his fourth Big Ten title:

“About 90 minutes before the race, Craig Virgin popped his head into our tent and wished him well. When you look at the names that made it, Kevin Sullivan from Michigan, Bob Kennedy from Indiana, it just means a lot to be mentioned in that stratosphere.”

senior Bob likes it

To win four straight Big Ten titles:

“It is a great honor to be added to this list. I was pretty nervous about this game because I didn't want to blow up, get three and not get fourth. I knew my guys were behind me and if I blew up, they wanted to replace me. I'm so excited to see this group grow.

For running alone at the end of the race:

“With the new additions, there are some world-class runners in the field. My worst nightmare was that there would be a kick and I wouldn't make it. I just wanted to go out there and if I lost, I lost, but I knew I would give it my all. It was a good day.

On Wisconsin's seven straight team titles:

“All the teammates I’ve been able to compete with show consistency. I've never been part of a team that lost a Big Ten title. It's great, it's always a good feeling and I love it so much.” “

Next:

The postseason continues with the NCAA Great Lakes Regional taking place on Friday, November 15th in Norton, Ohio. The Badgers last won the region in 2022 and hold 31 regional titles. The UW men will compete at 11 a.m. CT to secure a top-two finish and automatic qualification for the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships at the Zimmer Championship Course in Madison.

Big Ten Championships

Friday, November 1, 2024

Orange and blue golf course

8km race

Championship race results:

1. Wisconsin, 46

2.Washington, 58

Oregon, 58

4. Michigan State, 125

5. Michigan, 158

6. Indiana, 175

7. Purdue, 203

8. Penn State, 250

9. Illinois, 252

10. Ohio State, 253

11. Minnesota, 301

12. UCLA, 367

13. Iowa, 370

14. Nebraska, 410

15. Rutgers, 446

Individual results Wisconsin:

1. Bob likes it22:47.3

7. Christian de Vaal22:58.9

10. Matan Ivri22:59.7

13. Johnny Livingstone23:02.5

15. Rowen Ellenberg23:06.5

22. Adam Spencer23:11.9

25. Micah Wilson23:15.0

68. Josh Truchon, 23:57.2

91. Bryce Stachewicz24:14.8

101. Pierce Seigne24:24.4

109. Liam Newhart24:29.4