Michigan
Meyo Invitational
Brannen, Willis Turn Automatic in Wild Mile at Meyo Invite
2/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Sophomore Nate Brannen (Cambridge, Ontario/Preston HS) and freshman Nick Willis (Lower Hutt, New Zealand/Hutt Valley HS) became the fifth and sixth athletes in University of Michigan men's track and field history to post sub four-minute performances in the mile with their runs this afternoon (Saturday, Feb. 8) on the final day of the Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame's Loftus Sports Complex.
| | Brannen | | Willis |
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When the dust settled the top five runners had run the world's top times in the mile this year. Brannen's time of 3:57.96 was good for second place, behind race winner and new Notre Dame record holder Watson at 3:57.83. Cheboiywo took third in 3:58.07, with Michigan's Willis right behind at 3:58.15. Ian Connor, running for Nike, placed fifth with a mark of 3:58.15.
The race marked the first time both Wolverines have eclipsed four minutes with the Maize and Blue. It is the first sub four-minute time of Willis' career, while Brannen had run one race in under four minutes prior to joining the Wolverines. The pair join former Wolverines Kevin Sullivan (1994-98), Brian Diemer (1980-83), Scott MacDonald (1992-96) and Jay Cantin (1997-2000) in Michigan's four-minute club. Sullivan is the school record holder with his 1995 time of 3:55.33, while Brannen and Willis now sit in second and third on the list with their respective times.
The two-day Meyo Invitational featured competition from Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Georgetown, Michigan State, Rice and Windsor. While the mile was the Meyo's biggest race, the Wolverines posted numerous season-best marks at the meet.
Senior transfer Alex L'Heureux's (Weedon, Quebec/Palm Beach Gardens HS, Fla.) time of 4:04.40 in the mile tripled as a career best, an NCAA provisional qualifier and U-M's third best mark this season. In the 400-meter run sophomores Seth Waits (Grand Rapids, Ohio/Otsego HS) and DarNell Talbert (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel HS) earned career bests in their races. The 800-meter race featured three of Michigan's top four times this season from freshman Andrew Ellerton (Windsor, Ontario/Confederation HS), redshirt senior Dan Cooke (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney HS) and freshman Joe Schramski (Troy, Mich./Avondale HS).
Redshirt sophomore Braylon Edwards (Detroit, Mich./Bishop Gallagher HS) earned the Wolverines' top time this season and a career best of 21.81 in the 200-meter dash. Fifth-year senior Kevin Lamb (East Lansing, Mich./Haslett HS) set season bests in both the 60- and 200-meter runs, while redshirt junior David Battani (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS) ran a season-best time in the 60-meter high hurdles.
Freshman Spencer Dowdall (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs HS) vaulted to 15-1 for the top Maize and Blue mark this season, while redshirt junior long jumper David Malonson (Lynnwood, Calif./Mayfair HS) also had a career day.
The Wolverines will head to State College, Pa., for the Sykes-Sabok Challenge Cup on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 14-15) at Penn State's Ashenfelter Track. Friday's competition is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. start and Saturday's action kicks off at 10 a.m.
Event Winners/U-M Finishers
Friday Results
Weight Throw 1. Joe Skrycki, unattached 68-7 1/4 (20.91m) Long Jump 1. Vaughn Walwyn, Rice 23-9 1/2 (7.25m) 3. David Malonson, U-M 23-2 (7.06m) 5,000-meter Run 1. Brian Sell, Hansons 14:12.01# 12. Nick Stanko, U-M 14:32.65 24. Tarn Leach, U-M 15:22.24 Distance Medley Relay 1. Rice 9:55.83 3. Michigan 10:01.93 Pentathlon 1. Mark Barber, Notre Dame 3,460 pts.
Saturday Results
Triple Jump 1. Jason Evelyn, Western Mich. 49-7 3/4 (15.13m) Shot Put 1. Okey Ezuika, Eastern Mich. 57-11 3/4 (17.67m) 12. Brad Hoffman, U-M 45-4 1/2 (13.83m) -- Joey Sarantos, U-M ND Pole Vault 1. Brad Gebauer, Michigan State 16-6 3/4 (5.05m) T6. Spencer Dowdall, U-M 15-1 (4.60m) High Jump 1. Tommy Oleksy, Rice 6-11 (2.11m) 2. Braylon Edwards, U-M 6-9 (2.06m) T6. Brad Miller, U-M 6-5 (1.96m) -- Adam Kring, U-M NH -- Jeong-Hwan Wang, U-M NH 60-meter Hurdles (Preliminaries) Heat 2 1. Selim Nurudeen, Notre Dame 7.94# 5. Nick Meter, U-M 8.71 Heat 4 1. Ryan Harlan, Rice 7.97 4. David Battani, U-M 8.51 60-meter Hurdles (Finals) "A" Final 1. Selim Nurudeen, Notre Dame 7.83# "B" Final 1. Dan Knoll, Western Michigan 8.14 6. David Battani, U-M 8.49 60-meter Dash (Preliminaries) Heat 1 1. Pierre Vinson, Central Michigan 6.93 4. Brent Cummings, U-M 7.11 Heat 2 1. Clive Roberts, Central Michigan 6.87 3. Nathan Taylor, U-M 7.05 Heat 4 1. Jason Beckstrom, Notre Dame 7.05 4. David Battani, U-M 7.20 Heat 6 1. Johnie Drake, Central Michigan 6.79 4. Kevin Lamb, U-M 7.04 60-meter Dash (Finals) "A" Final 1. Johnie Drake, Central Michigan 6.76 "B" Final 1. Shawn Dailey, Genesis 6.91 5. Kevin Lamb, U-M 7.06 6. Nathan Taylor, U-M 7.19 3,000-meter run 1. Reid Coolsaet, Guelph 8:13.15 15. Sean Moore, U-M 8:30.24 One-mile Run (Meyo) 1. Luke Watson, Notre Dame 3:57.83* 2. Nate Brannen, U-M 3:57.96* 4. Nick Willis, U-M 3:58.15* 11. Alex L'Heureux, U-M 4:04.40# One-mile Run 1. Vincent Ambrico, Notre Dame 4:11.16 400-meter Run 1. Nduka Awazie, Eastern Michigan 46.73# 6. Seth Waits, U-M 48.27 7. DarNell Talbert, U-M 48.34 800-meter Run 1. Adam Davis, Rice 1:50.33 5. Andrew Ellerton, U-M 1:51.81 12. Dan Cooke, U-M 1:52.77 14. Joe Schramski, U-M 1:53.93 500-meter Run 1. Trinity Townsend, Unattached 1:03.42 3. Kaj Johansson, U-M 1:04.64 4. Nick Meter, U-M 1:05.59 7. Chris Yee, U-M 1:07.01 200-meter Dash 1. Rashad McDade, Western Michigan 21.27 6. Braylon Edwards, U-M 21.81 8. Kevin Lamb, U-M 22.22 1,000-meter Run 1. Ryan McKenzie, Windsor 2:22.44 2. Brian Turner, U-M 2:26.60 10. Rondell Ruff, U-M 2:32.60 4x440-yard Relay 1. Georgetown "A" 3:10.36# 5. Michigan "A" 3:17.12 6. Michigan "B" 3:20.46 8. Michigan "C" 3:26.34 * NCAA automatic mark # NCAA provisional mark
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Ron Warhurst
On the mile ... "Well, it was one hell of a race. Before today the fastest time in the world in 2003 was 3:59.60 and we saw four guys beat that in an instant. We went there looking to qualify Nate (Brannen) and Nick (Willis) for nationals and run under four minutes and we did it. Both of those guys did just what they had to do and the speed of the race just took over."
On Michigan's performance at the Meyo Invitational ... "The mile was the marquee event, but in that light we had a lot of great performances overshadowed. Alex L'Heureux ran an NCAA provisional time that was even faster that the time Nick Willis had posted earlier this year. That was a huge run. We also had a lot of season bests in the last couple of days; I'm happy with how we performed as a whole."
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
