Bob Liking

BOB’S STORY
Bob Liking is from St. Charles, Illinois. He attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison from 2020-2025 where he majored in Health Promotion and Health Equity. 

NCAA STATS

Over five standout seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers, Bob Liking established himself as one of the most decorated distance runners in Big Ten history. From 2021 to 2025, Liking won the Big Ten Cross Country Championship four times, becoming just the fourth athlete ever to claim four individual titles—joining an elite group that includes Craig Virgin (Illinois), Bob Kennedy (Indiana), and Kevin Sullivan (Michigan).

At the 2024 Big Ten Championships, Liking captured his fourth straight title in dominant fashion, setting a new championship record with a time of 22:47.3 over the 8K course. His performance also helped Wisconsin secure its seventh consecutive team title.

Later that season, Liking finished 16th overall at the 2024 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, clocking 29:09.2 for 10K—the top performance by any Big Ten runner. His effort propelled Wisconsin to a fourth-place team finish, their best at nationals since 2012.

In addition to his cross country accolades, Liking earned All-American honors on the track, anchoring Wisconsin’s Distance Medley Relay (DMR) teams to top finishes—3rd in 2023 and 8th in 2024 at the NCAA Indoor Championships. He also claimed All-American status with a 34th-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships.

With a combination of championship pedigree and record-setting performances, Bob Liking left Wisconsin as one of the most accomplished distance runners in program and conference history.