Byrne earns 11th Big Ten Cross Country Coach of the Year Award

Mick Byrne at the 2017 Wisconsin Alumni Classic

Photo by: David Stluka

Byrne earns 11th Big Ten Cross Country Coach of the Year Award

November 03, 2021 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Badger coach honored after leading UW to 52nd Big Ten Championship

By: Miriam Jaber

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne has been named Big Ten Conference men's cross country coach of the year, the conference office announced on Monday. This is the 11th time Byrne has been honored with this prestigious award.

On Oct. 29, Byrne led Wisconsin to its 52nd Big Ten Championship and fourth consecutive title. Additionally, Byrne coached sophomore Bob Liking to win his first Big Ten title as a Badger when he crossed the line in 24 minutes, 38.7 seconds. Throughout his 14 years at Wisconsin, Byrne has coached the Badgers to 11 Big Ten cross country team titles and nine Big Ten Individual titles. Wisconsin has more Big Ten cross country titles than all other conference programs combined.

Seven Wisconsin athletes earned first-team or second-team All-Big Ten honors. Liking, graduate student Olin Hacker (second), and Evan Bishop (seventh) earned first team honors while senior Shuaib Aljabaly (eighth), junior Jackson Sharp (ninth), sophomore Rowen Ellenberg (10th), and senior Seth Hirsch (13th) picked up second-team accolades.

In addition to his first-team All-Big honors, Aljabaly received the Big Ten Sportsmanship award for his sportsmanship and ethical behavior on and off the course.

Niggemann, Stieve lead women

On the women's side senior Alissa Niggemann and sophomore Samantha Stieve earned second team All-Big Ten accolades. Niggemann and Stieve led the women to a second-place finish with their 10th and 11th-place finishes. This was UW's best performances by the women since finishing second in 2019 behind individual champion Alicia Monson. It was also a four-place improvement from the Badgers' sixth-place finish last season.

Stieve also earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship award for her outstanding academics and citizenship.