Senior Liem Chot and sophomore Berlyn Schutz have been recognized as Big Ten Preseason Runners to Watch, the conference announced Thursday.
Chot enters his first year with the team in 2024, after competing at Temple for three seasons. The Lincoln native placed 45th at the 2023 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Cross Country Championships. He was a three-time state champion at Lincoln North Star and the 2020 and 2021 Nebraska Boys Cross Country Gatorade Player of the Year.
“Liem is someone who transferred in this fall,” Coach Matt Wackerly said. “He is from Nebraska so it’s exciting to bring him home, and he has already shown a great work ethic.”
Schutz was named a Preseason Runner to Watch after an impressive freshman season in 2023. She placed in the top five of all four of the Huskers’ regular season meets, including three first-place finishes. In 2023, she garnered two Big Ten Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors. Schutz also competes on NU’s track and field team and is the school record holder in the mile (4:37.37).
“Berlyn had an amazing freshman season and it’s so gratifying to see her efforts being recognized,” Wackerly said. “She has demonstrated a great deal of perseverance throughout her running career and is truly an inspiration to our entire program. I’m so excited to see what they both accomplish this fall!”
The Big Red opens its season on Friday, Sept. 6 at the Augustana Twilight meet in Sioux Falls, S.D. at Yankton Trail Park. Collegiate competition will begin at 8:40 p.m. (CT).
Big Ten Men’s Runners to Watch
Alex Partlow, Illinois
Skylar Stidam, Indiana
Will Ryan, Iowa
Luke Venhuizen, Michigan
Andrew Nolan, Michigan State
Emmet Anderson, Minnesota
Liem Chot, Nebraska
Zubin Jha, Ohio State
Elliott Cook, Oregon
Brian DiCola, Penn State
Nathan Walker, Purdue
Liam Tilton, Rutgers
Michael Mireles, UCLA
Nathan Green, Washington
Bob Liking, Wisconsin
Big Ten Women’s Runners to Watch
Halle Hill, Illinois
Mariah Wehrle, Indiana
Miriam Sandeen, Iowa
Katie Altieri, Maryland
Kayla Windemuller, Michigan
Makenna Veen, Michigan State
Erin Reidy, Minnesota
Berlyn Schutz, Nebraska
Ava Earl, Northwestern
Daniella Santos, Ohio State
Maddy Elmore, Oregon
Florence Caron, Penn State
Payne Turney, Purdue
Sofia Condron, Rutgers
Mia Kane, UCLA
Gigi Maccagnini, USC
Chloe Foerster, Washington
Leané Willemse, Wisconsin
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