Bob Liking, the back-to-back Big Ten men's cross country champion for Wisconsin and an NCAA Division 1 finalist last year, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss repeating as 8-kilometer winner Oct. 28 at University of Michigan Golf Course in Ann Arbor following his victory last year at Penn State Cross Country Course in State College, along with preparing to compete Nov. 11 at the Great Lakes Regional at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country in Terre Haute, Ind. Liking joined Wisconsin standouts Morgan McDonald and Ollie Hoare in becoming a two-time champion and is the first Badgers student-athlete to repeat as Big Ten winner since Malachy Schrobilgen in 2013-14. Liking also reflects on Wisconsin capturing its 53rd conference team title and increasing the number of individual champions to 36 for the Badgers. He also examines Wisconsin placing five scorers in the top nine and seven athletes among the first 11 finishers at the conference final, regrouping after Liking finished fourth and no other Badgers placed in the top 40 on Oct. 14 at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in Madison. Liking revisits competing in November 2020 at LaVern Gibson at the XC Town USA Meet of Champions, in addition to racing in 2019 at the NXR Midwest Regional representing St. Charles East High in Illinois on their journey to placing fourth at NXN in Oregon. He analyzes Wisconsin placing 18th at the 2019 NCAA final at LaVern Gibson and again in the March 2021 Division 1 championship race at the Greiner Family Course at Oklahoma State, along with finishing 11th in November 2021 at the NCAA final at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla., and shares his motivation to help the Badgers return to the top 10 and challenge for a podium finish Nov. 19 in Stillwater. Liking speaks about his interaction with Morgan McDonald at the Wisconsin Camp of Champions, along with being a mentor at the most recent camp for the top three finishers in the Illinois state 3A final, Aden Bandukwala of Hinsdale Central, River Forest Liam Newhart and Hinsdale Central's Daniel Watcke. He also expresses gratitude for the leadership and guidance of Wisconsin coach Mick Byrne and how much he has contributed to Liking's improvement and development.