University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, October 30
Madison, WI
10:35 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
Big Ten Cross Country Championships
Photo by: Dan Garcia
10/30/2026 3:09:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
Minnesota and Oregon were the lone programs with top-five finishes in both races.
MADISON – Highlighted by four all-conference runners, the University of Minnesota cross country program earned a fourth-place men's finish and fifth-place women's finish at the 2026 Big Ten Cross Country Championships in Madison, Wis. The Gophers joined Big Ten Champion Oregon as the only programs with top-five finishes in both races.
The Gopher women had a pair of first-team All-Big Ten honorees for the first time since 2021 as fifth-year Ali Weimer and junior Isabelle Schmitz finished fifth and sixth, respectively. They are also the first Gopher duo to place in the top six since 2017. On the men's side, seniors Aidan Jones and Emmett Gerres placed 16th and 17th, respectively, to earn second-team laurels. They are the first Minnesota duo to do so since 2016.
Competing in his third championship, Jones improved 10 spots from a year ago with a time of 23:25.8, while Gerres finished in 23:32.4 for a 32-place improvement. An All-Big Ten Freshman honoree a year ago, Aloysius Franzen was the third Gopher to cross the finish line in 27th place (23:45.9). Freshman Salvador Wirth was 32nd overall (23:49.5) while junior Nolan Sutter was 33rd (23:50.2) to round out the top five.
Following a bronze medal finish in 2024, Weimer returned from a redshirt season to finish fifth with a time of 19:51.0. She now owns the top two times by a Gopher at the conference meet. Schmitz finished right behind Weimer in sixth place (19:58.1) after placing 42nd as a freshman and 23rd as a sophomore. Freshman Jazleen Malherek-Osorio continued a strong rookie campaign in 37th place (20:38.7), while senior Taylor Isabel finished 39th (20:43.6) and fifth-year Izzy Roemer 40th (20:43.8).
For the second-straight season, Oregon swept the team titles. For the women, it was their third straight since joining the Big Ten. The Ducks' Simeon Birnbaum won the men's title in 23:04.2, while Diana Cherotich finished first with a course-record 18:56.1.
Minnesota earned its best men's team finish since 2021, while the women had its second top five placing since the Big Ten expanded to 18 teams in 2024.
UP NEXT
The postseason continues for Minnesota as both the men's and women's teams will head to Ames, Iowa, on Friday, Nov. 13, for the NCAA Midwest Regional. Competition at the Iowa State Cross Country Course will begin with the women's race at 11AM followed by the men's competition at Noon.
MEN'S TEAM STANDINGS
1. #6 Oregon (23)
2. #14 Wisconsin (62)
3. #22 Michigan State (90)
4. #21 Minnesota (122)
5. Michigan (133)
WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS
1. #15 Oregon (35)
2. #23 Northwestern (90)
3. #26 Penn State (92)
4. #29 Washington (115)
5. #25 Minnesota (127)
6. Michigan (171)
GOPHER MEN'S RESULTS
4th of 15 Teams (122 points)
16. Aidan Jones (23:25.8)
17. Emmett Gerres (23:32.4)
27. Aloysius Franzen (23:45.9)
32. Salvador Wirth (23:49.5)
33. Nolan Sutter (23:50.2)
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43. Shane Griepentrog (24:01.5)
56. Sam Scott (24:11.2)
65. Jaedyn Chase (24:21.1)
99. Will Weber (25:04.0)
GOPHER WOMEN'S RESULTS
5th of 18 Teams (127 points)
5. Ali Weimer (19:51.0)
6. Isabelle Schmitz (19.58.1)
37. Jazleen Malherek-Osorio (20:38.7)
39. Taylor Isabel (20:43.6)
40. Izzy Roemer (20:43.8)
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48. Zoie Dundon (20:49.2)
52. Norah Hushagen (20:52.1)
59. Macy Hanson (20:59.9)
66. Laura McClary (21:02.0)
The Gopher women had a pair of first-team All-Big Ten honorees for the first time since 2021 as fifth-year Ali Weimer and junior Isabelle Schmitz finished fifth and sixth, respectively. They are also the first Gopher duo to place in the top six since 2017. On the men's side, seniors Aidan Jones and Emmett Gerres placed 16th and 17th, respectively, to earn second-team laurels. They are the first Minnesota duo to do so since 2016.
Competing in his third championship, Jones improved 10 spots from a year ago with a time of 23:25.8, while Gerres finished in 23:32.4 for a 32-place improvement. An All-Big Ten Freshman honoree a year ago, Aloysius Franzen was the third Gopher to cross the finish line in 27th place (23:45.9). Freshman Salvador Wirth was 32nd overall (23:49.5) while junior Nolan Sutter was 33rd (23:50.2) to round out the top five.
Following a bronze medal finish in 2024, Weimer returned from a redshirt season to finish fifth with a time of 19:51.0. She now owns the top two times by a Gopher at the conference meet. Schmitz finished right behind Weimer in sixth place (19:58.1) after placing 42nd as a freshman and 23rd as a sophomore. Freshman Jazleen Malherek-Osorio continued a strong rookie campaign in 37th place (20:38.7), while senior Taylor Isabel finished 39th (20:43.6) and fifth-year Izzy Roemer 40th (20:43.8).
For the second-straight season, Oregon swept the team titles. For the women, it was their third straight since joining the Big Ten. The Ducks' Simeon Birnbaum won the men's title in 23:04.2, while Diana Cherotich finished first with a course-record 18:56.1.
Minnesota earned its best men's team finish since 2021, while the women had its second top five placing since the Big Ten expanded to 18 teams in 2024.
UP NEXT
The postseason continues for Minnesota as both the men's and women's teams will head to Ames, Iowa, on Friday, Nov. 13, for the NCAA Midwest Regional. Competition at the Iowa State Cross Country Course will begin with the women's race at 11AM followed by the men's competition at Noon.
MEN'S TEAM STANDINGS
1. #6 Oregon (23)
2. #14 Wisconsin (62)
3. #22 Michigan State (90)
4. #21 Minnesota (122)
5. Michigan (133)
WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS
1. #15 Oregon (35)
2. #23 Northwestern (90)
3. #26 Penn State (92)
4. #29 Washington (115)
5. #25 Minnesota (127)
6. Michigan (171)
GOPHER MEN'S RESULTS
4th of 15 Teams (122 points)
16. Aidan Jones (23:25.8)
17. Emmett Gerres (23:32.4)
27. Aloysius Franzen (23:45.9)
32. Salvador Wirth (23:49.5)
33. Nolan Sutter (23:50.2)
-------
43. Shane Griepentrog (24:01.5)
56. Sam Scott (24:11.2)
65. Jaedyn Chase (24:21.1)
99. Will Weber (25:04.0)
GOPHER WOMEN'S RESULTS
5th of 18 Teams (127 points)
5. Ali Weimer (19:51.0)
6. Isabelle Schmitz (19.58.1)
37. Jazleen Malherek-Osorio (20:38.7)
39. Taylor Isabel (20:43.6)
40. Izzy Roemer (20:43.8)
-------
48. Zoie Dundon (20:49.2)
52. Norah Hushagen (20:52.1)
59. Macy Hanson (20:59.9)
66. Laura McClary (21:02.0)
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Cross Country
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/ Men's Cross Country
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/ Men's Cross Country
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/ Men's Cross Country
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/ Men's Cross Country
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/ Women's Cross Country
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/ Women's Cross Country
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/ Women's Cross Country
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/ Men's Cross Country
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/ Men's Cross Country
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/ Men's Cross Country
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/ Women's Cross Country
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/ Men's Cross CountrySunday, October 25
Tuesday, September 15
Monday, September 29
Sunday, November 17