Photo by: Walt Middleton
Badgers sweep Big Ten Athlete of the Year honors
November 20, 2018 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
McDonald, Monson earned conference honors after their historic seasons
MADISON, Wis. – After finishing historic seasons for the Wisconsin cross country programs, UW men's star Morgan McDonald and women's standout Alicia Monson were named the Big Ten Conference Cross Country Athletes of the Year, the league announced Tuesday.
It marks the second time that McDonald, the 2018 NCAA men's individual champion, has received the award while Monson, the Big Ten and NCAA Great Lakes Region champion, becomes the first Badger since Bethany Brewster in 2001 to earn the accolade.
McDonald became the fourth Badger to win an individual title at the 2018 NCAA Cross Country Championships last Saturday at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course, joining the likes of UW legends Walter Mehl, Tim Hacker and Simon Bairu. The Sydney, Australia native also won his second Big Ten cross country title last month and won the prestigious Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Presented by Under Armour in his season debut in September.
A native of Amery, Wisconsin, Monson finished fourth at the 2018 NCAA Cross Country Championships, earning All-America honors in the process while leading the Badgers to their third top-10 finish in the last five years. Monson won the Big Ten and NCAA Great Lakes Region titles and was named the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Great Lakes Region Athlete of the Year. She also won the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Presented by Under Armour.
It marks the second time that McDonald, the 2018 NCAA men's individual champion, has received the award while Monson, the Big Ten and NCAA Great Lakes Region champion, becomes the first Badger since Bethany Brewster in 2001 to earn the accolade.
McDonald became the fourth Badger to win an individual title at the 2018 NCAA Cross Country Championships last Saturday at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course, joining the likes of UW legends Walter Mehl, Tim Hacker and Simon Bairu. The Sydney, Australia native also won his second Big Ten cross country title last month and won the prestigious Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Presented by Under Armour in his season debut in September.
A native of Amery, Wisconsin, Monson finished fourth at the 2018 NCAA Cross Country Championships, earning All-America honors in the process while leading the Badgers to their third top-10 finish in the last five years. Monson won the Big Ten and NCAA Great Lakes Region titles and was named the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Great Lakes Region Athlete of the Year. She also won the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Presented by Under Armour.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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