FULL RESULTS

The Michigan Men won their first Big Ten XC Championship since 1998 and the Penn State Women upset the No. 2 ranked Wolverines for the women’s team title on a sunny day in Chicago, Illinois.

What a feeling! Hail to the VICTORS! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/AgepSiOdYh

— Michigan Track&Field (@umichtrack) November 1, 2015

MEN: It was an anticipated battle between the defending champs Wisconsin and the rising Wolverines, but the Wolverines grabbed hold of the lead at the 2K mark and never looked back. Led by All American Mason Ferlic’s runner-up finish, the Wolverines supporting cast of Ben Flanagan (eighth), Tony Smoragiewicz (ninth), Connor Mora (19th) and Nick Renberg (25th) totaled 63 points, 136 points better than Wisconsin’s disappointing and shocking eighth-place performance. Illinois was the surprise runner-up team, their program’s best finish since 1989.

Wisconsin's men finish 8th at Big Ten championships. Other than a no-score in 1970, it's their worst result since the meet began in 1908.

— Jesse Squire (@tracksuperfan) November 1, 2015

Matt McClintock of Purdue won the individual crown in 23:12 in an epic final 600m battle with Ferlic. An All American over 10,000m on the track, this is McClintock’s first Big Ten XC title.

Pure elation from your individual #B1GXC Champion, Matt McClintock #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/mTX6fmhjFu

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) November 1, 2015

Defending champ Malachy Schrobilgen of Wisconsin did not finish the race. At the 3K mark, the Badger had a six-second lead over McClintock and Ferlic. He led through 4K before dropping out. Illinois’ Dylan Lafond (third), Indiana’s Rorey Hunter (fourth) and Wisconsin’s Morgan McDonald rounded out the top five.

WOMEN: The Penn State women scored 53 points to upset the No. 2 ranked Michigan Wolverines (58 points) to win their first conference championship since 2009.

2015 Big Ten Cross Country Champions #WeAre #PSUXC pic.twitter.com/TpKdoPiQj5

— PennStateTFXC (@PennStateTFXC) November 1, 2015

The Nittany Lions, currently ranked No. 17 on the Saucony Flo50, were hot from the gun. Led by senior Tori Gerlach, PSU’s top four of Gerlach (fourth), Elizabeth Chikotas (sixth), Jillian Hunsberger (ninth) and Tessa Barrett (12th) positioned themselves in the top 15 from the start and never looked back. The team scores went back and forth between PSU and Michigan with each split, but the Nittany Lions had the title clinched by 5K. 

Michigan junior Erin Finn won her second Big Ten XC title in 19:44. Finn broke away from Gerlach at the 3K and took back what she could not have last year after a season-ending injury kept her from competing at the championships. She is the fifth individual in Big Ten history to win two conference XC championships. Former Michigan NCAA National Champion Katie McGregor accomplished the feat in 1997 and 1998.

Your 2015 Winner and now a 2-time Big Ten Individual Champion, @erinefinn down the stretch! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/BXBKPzTbLE

— Michigan Track&Field (@umichtrack) November 1, 2015

Michigan State’s Alexis Wiersma stepped up big time for the injury-plagued Spartans and finished runner-up in 19:49. Returning MSU All Americans Rachele Schulist and Lindsay Clark did not compete. Illinois’ Alyssa Schneider and Purdue’s Hope Schmelzle rounded out the top five.