Weekly Release #4
10/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Upcoming Schedule
Sunday, Oct. 14 -- host Wolverine Interregional (U-M Golf Course), 11:15 a.m.
Friday, Oct. 19 -- at Eastern Michigan Open (Ypsilanti, Mich.), 4:30 p.m.
This Week
The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan men's cross country team will host its only meet of the season when six teams compete at the Wolverine Interregional on Sunday (Oct. 14). The men's race will cover 8,000 meters of the U-M Golf Course and is scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. following the 10:30 a.m. women's race. Along with Michigan, the other teams in the men's field are Bowling Green, Montana State, Pennsylvania, Purdue and Western Michigan. Tickets for the meet will costs $4 for adults and $2 for students and will include admission to both the men's and women's races as well as an autograph session with the Michigan runners from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. U-M students are admitted free with ID.
Last Week
The Wolverines were able to post a third-place finish at the Murray Keatinge Invitational last Saturday (Oct. 6) in Orono, Maine, despite not having three of their best runners competing. Senior All-American Mike Wisniewski (Temperance, Mich./Bedford HS), and freshmen Alan Webb (Reston, Va./South Lakes HS) and Nathan Brennan (Cambridge, Ontario/Preston HS) did not run, but in their absence the Wolverines totaled 76 points and placed four runners in the top 20. Senior All-American Mark Pilja (Naperville, Ill./North HS) led the team with a third-place showing in a time of 24:07.10, while sophomores Tom Greenless (Milford, Mich./Milford HS), John Hughes (Traverse City, Mich./Central HS) and Nick Stanko (Wyandotte, Mich./Roosevelt HS) rounded out the top Michigan performers. All three established personal bests for the season, led by Greenless, who finished 11th with a time of 24:53.90. Hughes' and Stanko's times earned them 17th and 18th place, respectively, at 25:02.40 and 25:06.60.
Wolverine Interregional
Michigan will look to capture its fifth team title at the Wolverine Interregional since its inception in 1992. After winning the inaugural race, the Wolverines also racked up three consecutive titles from 1997 to 1999. In the individual competition, Michigan has been dominant, winning six titles and the last five overall. Last year, senior Mark Pilja beat the second-place finisher by 11 seconds when he ran a time of 24:42.00. Jay Cantin (1996-99) won the meet in 1999, while John Mortimer (1995-98) and Kevin Sullivan (1995-98) paced the field from 1996 through 1998.
Pilja Leads the Way Again
With a third-place finish at the Murray Keatinge Invitational on Saturday (Oct. 6), senior Mark Pilja has posted top-10 finishes in six races since he won the Keatinge last year. In 2001, Pilja has a second-place finish to teammate Alan Webb at the Great American Cross Country Festival (Sept. 21) to go along with a seventh-place showing at the Roy Griak Invitational (Sept. 26). Overall he has been the Wolverines' top performer in three of their four scored meets.
Two All-Americans are Better than One
Michigan will enter the meet on Sunday with two All-Americans on its roster. Senior Mark Pilja accomplished the feat last season when he placed 17th at the NCAA Nationals with a time of 30:48.5, and Mike Wisniewski earned the honor in 1999 with a 32nd-place showing at the Nationals with a time of 31:11.90. Pilja has competed in all four of Michigan's races this year and placed in the top 10 of each one, while Wisniewski has been limited to two competitions due to injury. In his two meets, Wisniewski placed 17th at the Roy Griak Invitational (Sept. 29) and 24th at the Great American Cross Country Festival (Sept. 21) with times of 24:38 and 25:11, respectively.
Welcome Back
Michigan will likely benefit from the return of freshmen Alan Webb and Nathan Brannen when they compete for the first time in three weeks at the Wolverine Interregional. Webb and Brannen have both raced in only one scored meet, which occurred at the Great American Cross Country Festival (Sept. 21). With a time of 24:05, Webb claimed the individual title in his debut race while Brennan finished 18th with a time of 24:57.
Webb Named Big Ten Athlete of the Week for Week of Sept. 24
Freshman Alan Webb was named Big Ten Conference Athlete of the Week for men's cross country on Sept. 25 after winning his first scored collegiate meet. He posted a time of 24:05 at the Great American Cross Country on Friday, Sept. 21, in Rock Hill, S.C. Teammate Mark Pilja finished in second place, three seconds behind Webb, as the duo outpaced 262 other competitors to help lead Michigan to a second-place finish.
Wolverines Ranked No. 12
Michigan remained No. 12 in the latest MONDO ranking (Oct. 9) after placing third at the Murray Keatinge Invitational last week. The Wolverines are the second highest ranked team in the Big Ten behind No. 4 Wisconsin. The only other team in the Big Ten ranked among the Top 25 is Michigan State at No. 16.
MONDO NCAA Division I Poll (10/9/01)
Rank, School Points Prev 1. Colorado (14) 397 1 2. Stanford 379 2 3. Arkansas (2) 365 3 4. Wisconsin 347 4 5. Notre Dame 342 5 6. Portland 308 6 7. Providence 292 7 8. Northern Arizona 261 10 9. North Carolina State 256 8 Villanova 256 9 11. Colorado State 243 11 12. MICHIGAN 229 12 13. Duke 209 13 14. Wake Forest 186 14 15. Arizona State 152 15 16. Michigan State 135 16 17. Brigham Young 120 17 18. Oregon 105 18 19. Eastern Michigan 95 19 20. Weber State 80 20 21. Alabama 71 21 22. Georgetown 68 22 23. Utah State 64 NR 24. Arizona 49 NR 25. Iona 40 23
Contact: David Crabtree (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
