Weekly Release #15

Upcoming Schedule
Thu-Sat., April 27-29 -- at Penn Relays (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Saturday, May 6 -- at Toledo Invitational (Toledo, Ohio)
Sunday, May 7 -- at Jesse Owens Classic (Columbus, Ohio)

Wolverines Travel to World-Famous Penn Relays
The University of Michigan men's track and field team continues its outdoor campaign with a trip to the world-renowned Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pa., Thurday through Saturday (April 27-29) at historic Franklin Field. The 106th running of the Penn Relays will feature competition for the Wolverines from over 100 colleges and universities as well as top athletes from around the world.

Select Wolverines Headed to Hillsdale Invitational
A select group of Wolverines will not travel to Philadelphia, Pa., for the Penn Relays this weekend, but will instead head to Hillsdale, Mich., for the annual Hillsdale Invitational. Michigan multi-event athlete Ryan Stevenson (Harrison, Ohio/St. Xavier HS) will lead a group of eight Wolverines into the meet as he will take part in his second decathlon competition of the outdoor season. Stevenson scored 6,133 points at the Duke Invitational (April 7) in his only other decathlon performance of the season. Stevenson is currently ranked ninth in the Big Ten in the decathlon.

Past Glory
Michigan senior middle distance ace Jay Cantin (Camlachie, Ontario/St. Claire SS) returns to Franklin Field, the site of one of his greatest moments as a Wolverine, for the final time as a collegiate this weekend. Cantin was part of the Michigan quartet that won the distance medley relay at the 1998 Penn Relays in a time of 9:27.64, giving Michigan its first relay championship at the Penn Relays since 1980.

Cantin ran the third leg (800 meters) of the relay in a time of 1:48.9 and handed the baton off to current Michigan assistant coach Kevin Sullivan (1994-98), who came down the stretch neck and neck with long-time rival Seneca Lassiter of Arkansas. However, Sullivan blew past Lassiter in the final 200 meters to record a blistering 3:55.5 mile in the fourth and final leg. That victory was Michigan's sixth distance medley relay title at the Penn Relays:

   Year    Time
   1944    10:20.1
   1945    10:35.2
   1952    10:18.1
   1953    10:13.9
   1960    9:56.8
   1998    9:27.64

No Stranger to Success
The Michigan men's track and field program is no stranger to success at the Penn Relays. In fact, the Maize and Blue has earned a total of 39 relay titles at the Penn Relays since earning its first in the 4xMile relay in 1903. That was just the first of 14 total Michigan championships in the 4xMile relay, with the last coming in 1962. Nine more Wolverine relay titles at the historic Penn Relays came via the 4x880-yard relay event, with the last one of those coming in 1961. Michigan's 39 total relay titles is ranked third all-time in the college division of the Penn Relays:

1.	Villanova	87
2.	Pennsylvania	54 1/2
3.	Michigan	39
4.	Arkansas	28
5.	New York	25

Wolverines Finish Runner-up at OSU Triangular
Michigan competed in its first scored meet of the outdoor season this past Saturday (April 22) at the Ohio State Triangular. Paced by a strong effort from its field corps, the Maize and Blue finished runner-up with 138 points, trailing winner Ohio State (174 points). The meet turned in to a two-horse race, with Seton Hall placing a distant third (61 points). Michigan junior Nick Rogers (Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm HS) won two events in the same meet for the first time in the outdoor season, taking the top spot in the shot put (53-1 3/4) and discus (158-10 1/4). Rogers' toss in the discus is a Michigan season best.

Other Field Athletes Shine
Three other Wolverine field athletes joined Rogers in the winning circle at the Ohio State Triangular. Charles DeWildt (Wyoming, Mich./Grand Rapids Catholic Central HS) won the pole vault (16-3 3/4), while senior Patrik Johansson (Ramnas, Sweden/Tingralla HS) took top honors in the hammer throw (186-0). Multi-event athlete Ryan Stevenson earned his first event title of the outdoor campaign with a leap of 21-11 1/2 in the long jump, which is a Michigan season best.

Wolverines Own 100-Meters
Michigan sophomore sprinter Ike Okenwa (San Diego, Calif./Morse HS) paced a Michigan contingent in the 100-meter dash that owned four of the top eight places as he took home Michigan's only victory in a running event at the Ohio State Triangular. Okenwa cruised to the win in a pace of 10.66, while senior Steve Jenkins (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech HS) placed fourth with a personal season-best 10.98. Steve Molnar (Menominee, Mich./Menominee HS) placed fifth (11.01) and Brad Haudan (Maumee, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit HS) finished eighth with a personal season-best 11.25.

Derr Increases Season Best
Michigan junior thrower Andy Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick HS) placed runner-up in the javelin at the Ohio State Triangular. Derr's toss of 199-6 is a season best for Michigan's lone javelin thrower.

Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423