Lansing Sun

Six cross country runners from Michigan State University received All-Region honors at the Great Lakes Regional Championships held in Norton, Ohio. The competition took place on Friday and saw strong performances from both the men's and women's teams.

Director of Cross Country and Track & Field, Lisa Breznau, expressed her pride in the teams' efforts. "I'm proud of both of our teams' races today," she stated. She highlighted the progress made by the men's team under Coach Aaron Simoneau's leadership, despite facing challenges with NCAA qualifications. "The men have made huge strides and had an incredible run today," Breznau noted.

The women's team secured fourth place in the 6k race with 111 points. Big Ten Freshman of the Year Rachel Forsyth led the team, finishing second with a time of 19:31.7. Kaitlyn Hynes also performed well, securing seventh place with a time of 19:46.3. Both athletes earned All-Region honors for their performances.

Taylor Ewert finished 32nd with a time of 20:27.4, while Olivia Millen came in 33rd with a personal best time of 20:28.2 at the Great Lakes Regional.

Breznau acknowledged the women's team's rebuilding phase but praised their consistent performance and growth. "Our women are in a rebuild year and are learning something new with each race," she said, adding that they appear to have qualified for the NCAA meet.

The men's team also finished fourth in their 10k race, tying with Butler at 104 points—their best finish since 2021. Riley Hough's seventh-place finish was notable as it marked the best by a Spartan since Morgan Beadlescomb's third-place finish in 2021. Hough completed his race in a record-breaking time of 29:26.9.

Lezawe Osterink placed 19th in his first collegiate 10k with a time of 29:36.3, joining Hough on the All-Region team alongside Andrew Nolan and Jack Pennewell. Nolan achieved his second consecutive All-Region honor by finishing 23rd with a time of 29:45.7, while Pennewell rounded out Michigan State's top performers by finishing 25th at 29:48.1.

This achievement marks the fourteenth occurrence in sixteen seasons where six or more Spartan runners earned All-Region honors.

Both teams now await potential at-large bids to compete further as only top regional finishers automatically qualify for NCAA Championships—a decision to be announced during Saturday's selection show on November 16 at 5 p.m.