BTN.com staff, November 3, 2013

The Michigan State women's cross country team claimed its third Big Ten Championship title in four years on Sunday at the Boilermaker Cross Country Course in West LaFayette, Ind. Led by Leah O'Connor's runner-up finish, the Spartans picked up 43 points to beat out defending champion Michigan.

[ MORE: View official 2013 Big Ten Women's Cross Country Championships results (PDF) ]

"Our strategy really was to run a team race, not to take any individual chances," said director of cross country/track & field Walt Drenth.

"They did a really nice job of that. They did a really good job of running late. The course was very muddy; it's a very challenging cross country course. Probably about a mile in, it turned into a three-team race between Minnesota, Michigan and us. They really separated. We only ran with three people who have ever won a Big Ten Championship today.

See the final team standings:

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