Mason Conner—Nebraska |
Brian Keyes—Illinois |
Job Mayhue—Michigan |
Big 10 Conference Prize Recruits |
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BIG 10 MEN
Illinois
(Mike Turk) N—Kashief King’ (Tri) 47.39; Zach Mueller (football) 61-3, 187-11 DT; Declan Rustay 10.50/10.40w, 21.12w; Bret Dannis 13.93; Brian Keyes 194-1 DT.
Indiana
(Ron Helmer) N—Nathaniel Davis 23-8¼; Jake Gebhardt 4:10.09; DUSTIN HORTER 1:50.73, 4:04.68, 8:51.69+; Arjun Jhan 4:10.54+; Hunter Moore 9:01.60+, 14:44.46; Madison Norris (football) 14.02; Matt Schadler 4:09.17+; Shaton Vaughn 37.45. GT—Daniel Michalski 8:44.49St.
Iowa
(Joey Woody) N—James Carter 23-6¼w, 47-9/49-2w; Dawson Ellingson 190-5 DT; Seth Groom 23-9½w, 48-3½; Peyton Haack 7090; Jordan Hawkins 184-5 DT; Wayne Lawrence 46.67; Riley Moss (football) 13.91/13.85w; Nolan Roethler 52.73LH; Harley Russell 186-11 DT; Austin West 51.96LH. JC—Sterling Mungro 206-8 HT.
Maryland
(Andrew Valmon) N—Deandre Leith’ (Jam) 58-4¾Jr; Nathaniel Moore 6-10, 48-0; Dashawn Morris’ (Jam) 45.09.
Michigan
(Jerry Clayton) N—Ian Davis 47.12; Asani Hampton 10.26, 21.13/20.94w; Cassidy Henshaw 23-6w; Cole Johnson 1:50.72, 4:08.12; JOB MAYHUE 13.75, 37.15; JOHN MEYER 70-6½, 189-11 DT; John Tatter 14:44.62. T—*Jack Lint 7478; *Devin Meyrer 14:04.24; *Ryan Robinson 28:59r. DNR— -Brennan Munley 1:48.24.
Michigan State
(Walt Drenth) N—Trevor Stephenson 16-9½; James Uhlenberg’ (NZ) 8:20.01, 14:51.73. DNR—*Ryan Robinson 28:59r.
Minnesota
(Matt Bingle) N—Khalid Hussein NXN; Eric Rousemiller 61-6; Cordell Tinch 6-10, 24-3½, 49-2¼w; Terell Smith (football) 10.41/10.39w, 20.84w.
Prize Recruit: Dustin Horter (Indiana)
by Don Kopriva
When Dustin Horter (Lakota East, Liberty Township, Ohio) was a youngster, football was his game, and running was originally just a way to get in shape for that sport. Now, having completed his first cross country season at Indiana, he has found his true calling and become an integral part of a Hoosier cross country team that advanced to Nationals for the first time since ’14.
As a 6-time state champ Horter certainly has become used to the spotlight. The indoor national titlist in the mile in ’18 and the Brooks PR mile champ outdoors, he earned No. 2 All-America status in the event, sporting a best of 4:04.68 to go with 8:51.69 credentials in the 8-lapper. He picked Indiana over Northern Arizona, Stanford and Iowa State, conscious that being close to his southwestern Ohio home would be a plus.
“I committed on October 27,” he says. “I wanted to get it out of the way so I could have a stress-free track season. I was taking 4-5 calls a night and had like 20-plus home visits during the summer so I came down to four schools. I’m very happy with where I am right now.”
So is IU coach Ron Helmer. “There’s been a long history of Ohio athletes becoming great athletes at Indiana, including current all-American Kyle Mau and more historically Bob Kennedy,” the veteran Hoosier mentor says. “Dustin has an opportunity to become the next great athlete from the state.”
If cross country is any indication, Helmer’s forecast is well on its way to becoming true. He was Indiana’s second man in both the Big 10 and the Great Lakes Regional, finishing 14th in the former as the conference’s first American-born frosh and 19th in the latter as the third yearling in the race. He finished off with a 129th-place finish in the NCAA. “I felt getting all Big 10 honors my freshman year was a big thing,” says Horter, who turned 19 a week after the meet. “There’s a lot of talent in the Big 10. I wasn’t exactly with the lead pack but kind of worked my way up during the second half of the race. The race went really well for me and I was pretty happy with it.”
He also has acclimated well to the longer college distances, saying, “I think the 8K is pretty tough but I’ve gotten used to it. It’s a little weird, though, making that shift in the season. It seems that at championship time, that’s when you want to feel the most comfortable about what you’re running, and now things change. You got comfortable and now you have to get uncomfortable again.”
Looking ahead to his first collegiate track season, the lanky 6-foot, 150-pounder has goals, most notably breaking his event’s big barrier. “I’m pretty goal-oriented,” he explains. “Last year I wanted to get as close to sub-4 in the mile as I could and I got down to 4:04. This year I want to break 4:00 in the mile. That’d be the No. 1 goal in my mind right now.”
Nebraska
(Gary Pepin) N—Dominic Bentil 21.03(A), 47.16(A); MAYSON CONNER 7-2¼; Darrius Gaw 14.09(A); Michael Hoffer 7-¼, 23-6/24-4½w, 48-9w; Garrison Hughes 17-0; Jordane Jackson’ (Jam) 21.32; James Joycey’ (Aus) 199-2 HT; **George Kusche’ (SA) 1:47.45, 3:41.18; Jake Lamberth 7-1; Johnathan Miller’ (Bar) 51-3; Alex Nelson 10.55/10.50w, 21.30w; Tony Nou’ (Est) 21.17, 46.24; Jake Sellon 16-0. DNR—*Kino Dunkley’ 191-0 DT.
Ohio State
(Karen Dennis) N—Garrett Doyle 207-8 HT; Donnie James 21.20, 47.14; Dylan Litreal 192-8 HT; Hudson McDaniel (swim) 14.09; Nick Miller 1:50.19.
Penn State
(John Gondak) N—Ben Bulkeley 1:50.96; Isaiah Claiborne 1:51.62, 9:01.46+; Gavin DARCY 212-10 JT; DREW MAHER 1:49.16, 4:10.25+; Wesley Matsuka-Williams’ (GB) 50-3¼/50-7½w; Malual Mu 1:51.14; Justin Ofotan 10.40. Pro— -Isaiah Harris 1:44.42.
Purdue
(Norbert Elliott) N—Justin Becker 10.52; Tyler Mak 37.50; Isaiah Martin 194-0 JT, 6979; Blanchard Montgomery 13.92w, 37.39; Ife Oketona 23-8½.
Rutgers
(Mike Mulqueen) N—A’Nan Bridgett 23-9/24-0w; Kamron Kobolak 62-7¾, 185-6 DT; Antonio Tarantino 21.07/20.51w; Jameson Woodell 52.35. T—**Qayyim Ali 7-1. Ret— -Chris Mirabelli 251-6 JT.
Wisconsin
(Mick Byrne) N—A.J. Abbott (football) 23-7¼w; Shuaib Aljabaly 14:53.63; TRAVIAN BLAYLOCK (football) 50-7¼; Boyd Dietzen (football) 65-5½, 184-11 DT; Peyton Frankenreider 24-1½w; Isaac Guerendo (football) 10.51, 24-4¼; Maguire Peterson 6-10¼.
Alexis Holmes—Penn State |
Hannah Morris—Minnesota |
Katie Osika—Michigan State |
BIG 10 WOMEN
Illinois
(Mike Turk) N—Josephine Held 12-9.
Indiana
(Ron Helmer) N—Bailey Hertenstein FLXC; Hope Purcell 13.97w, 5-9, 19-5; Sarah Schmitt 10:27.52+; Nakita Turner-Lee 13.98/13.86w. GT—Trisana Fairweather’ 11.51, 23.21.
Iowa
(Joey Woody) N—Maria Gorham 5-8½; Amanda Howe 156-4 HT; Jada Laye 11.60w, 24.07; Payton Wensel 60.15; Daneisha Woodside 54.36.
Maryland
(Andrew Valmon) N—Lillian Hill 144-5 JT; Jaida Smith 11.63, 23.91.
Michigan
(James Henry) N—Anne Forsyth’ (Can) 4:45.49+, 10:11.60+; Jessi Larson 16:50.66; Sydney McGinley 13.94/13.70w, 42.20; Jessica Mercier 13-3; Aurora Rynda’ (Can) 2:05.54; Olivia Theis 10:07.46+. T— -Kendall Hacker 16:28.22; *Anna West 9:16.67, 16:01.11. Ret— -Erin Finn (6th year) 8:58.69, 15:23.16, 31:51.84.
Michigan State
(Walt Drenth) N—Karenna Duffey 4:51.99+; Melanie Helder 2:09.28; Katie Osika 2:08.75, 4:51.23+; Jaiden Paris 13.77(A). Ret—*Asya Reynolds 5314.
Minnesota
(Matt Bingle) N—Hannah Morris 20-1¾; Natalie Windels 42.21, 60.99; Amira Young 11.71, 23.96w.
Nebraska
(Gary Pepin) N—Beth-el Algarin 46-0; Whitney Bridges 11.74/11.69w, 23.85; Emily Ellis 24.02w, 54.25; Johanna Ilves’ (Est) 13.97, 19-½, 4988; Deja Ingram 11.70w, 23.81w; Mia Morck’ (Den) 2:05.77; Zionn Pearson 19-10¼(A); Anna Purchase’ (GB) 185-1 HT; Marika Spencer 153-4 DT. T—***Carlie Queen 5-11½.
Northwestern
(xc only) N—Rachel McCardell 4:50.75.
Ohio State
(Karen Dennis) N—Britten Bowen 11.58w, 13.40; Cierra Pyles 13.97, 19-3½, 40-5½. DNR—**Syaira Richardson 52.25.
Penn State
(John Gondak) N—Antoinette Bradley 13.86, 60.00; Ryan Brundage 142-10 JT; BREANA GAMBRELL 20-4½/20-8½w; Rachel Gearing 38-10¾; Taylor Givens 19-9; ALEXIS HOLMES 23.46, 51.21; Piper Klinger 160-0 DT; PAYDEN MONTANA 51-0, 164-11 DT; Carena Nottoli 12-9; Julia Paternain’ (GB) 4:29.12, 9:23.07; GIANNA RAO 189-1 HT.
Purdue
(Norbert Elliott) N—Simi Akinrinsola 45-9; Brittney Campbell’ (Jam) 2:08.56; Amaya Chadwick 13.86/13.77w; Camille Christopher 11.66w; Vivette Green 11.75/11.66w; Jae’nisa Heckstall 42.23(A); Amaya King 46-7½. DNR— -Kendall Hacker 16:28.22.
Rutgers
(James Robinson) N—Alexa Gardner 142-1 JT; Reanda Richards’ (StK) 14.02/13.77w, 58.91; Icisys Sadler 14.02; Zyra Thomas 47-5¾.
Wisconsin (Mick Byrne) N—Armoni Brown 19-5½/19-9¾w, 39-10½/40-8w; Madison Mooney 4:47.32; Hannah Reale 2:07.27, 4:48.24+; Tyra Turner (sb) 39-11½w. DNR—*Chinne Okoronkwo 13-8¼, 42-11¾; *Sophia Rivera 55-1½, 180-4 JT.
