Rachel Forsyth, a freshman at Michigan State University, has been named the Great Lakes Region Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year. This recognition follows her 16th-place finish in the NCAA Championships held in Madison, Wisconsin, where she completed the 6k race with a time of 19:49.1. Her performance helped lead the Michigan State women’s cross country team to a 21st-place finish overall.
Forsyth’s achievements this season also include earning first-team All-American honors, marking her as the first Spartan to receive such recognition since Jenna Magness in 2021. Additionally, she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year after securing fourth place in the Big Ten Championship earlier this month in Champaign, Illinois.
This accolade marks the fifth occasion that a Michigan State athlete has been honored as Great Lakes Region Women’s Runner of the Year. Previous recipients include Jenna Magness in 2020 and Leah O’Connor in 2014, which coincided with Michigan State’s National Championship victory. Emily MacLeod received this honor twice, in both 2009 and 2010.
