Michigan
Big Ten Championships
Woods, Gras Lead Wolverines to Fifth at Big Ten Meet
10/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. -- The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan men's cross country team placed fifth at the Big Ten Conference Championships for the second year in a row, totalling 125 points Sunday (Oct. 30) to finish one point behind fourth-place Iowa at Minnesota's Les Bolstad Golf Course.
Sophomore Mike Woods (Ottawa, Ontario/Hillcrest SS) led the way for the Wolverines for the fourth time this season, covering the 8,000-meter course in 24:52.78, while redshirt freshman Victor Gras (Belmont, Mass./Belmont HS) rounded out the top 20 individuals in his Big Ten meet debut with his time of 25:03.03.
With the Wisconsin pack taking out a very hard pace from the gun -- clocking 2:34 through the opening 1,000 meters -- Woods played it conservatively, staying back off the early tempo but remaning within striking distance. The Wolverine sophomore started to fall further back as the Badger contingent continued to hammer out a blazing pace, crossing the 3,000-meter mark at 8:43. Gras moved in the opposite direction, starting back in the field and gradually making his way up to the front.
Also making his first career appearance at the conference meet, junior/sophomore Ethan Brown (Lowell, Mass./Lowell HS) earned his best-ever Michigan performance, scoring for the first time in his career as the Wolverines' third man across the finish line. Despite the muddy and sloppy conditions, Brown nearly registered a personal-best performance at the conference meet, clocking 25:18.53 in 27th place, just 0.40 seconds shy of his best time, which he recorded two weeks ago in the NCAA Pre-Nationals open race.
Closing out the Michigan scoring were a pair of Wolverine seniors. Fifth-year senior Rondell Ruff (Detroit, Mich./Henry Ford HS) claimed the 30th overall position with a time of 25:23.98, while senior/junior Andrew Bauer (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) registered a time of 25:39.23 in 41st place. Each U-M runners earned his best finish at the conference meet in his second appearance.
The Wolverines return to action in two weeks when they head to Bloomington, Ind., for the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships.
Team Standings
1. Wisconsin 16 2. Ohio State 101 3. Minnesota 102 4. Iowa 124 5. MICHIGAN 125 6. Indiana 137 7. Michigan State 162 8. Purdue 235 9. Penn State 239 10. Illinois 241
Top 14 Individuals
(All-Big Ten: Top seven finishers are first team, next seven are second team)
1. Simon Bairu, Wisconsin 23:31.73 2. Chris Solinsky, Wisconsin 23:56.38 3. Matt Withrow, Wisconsin 24:06.58 4. Stuart Eagon, Wisconsin 24:07.08 5. Sean Jefferson, Indiana 24:13.58 6. Antony Ford, Wisconsin 24:24.63 7. Christian Wagner, Wisconsin 24:26.23 8. Tim Nelson, Wisconsin 24:27.28 9. Ben Gregory, Wisconsin 24:34.03 10. David Rae, Purdue 24:41.63 11. Brian Olinger, Ohio State 24:41.98 12. Stephen Haas, Indiana 24:43.63 13. Antonio Vega, Minnesota 24:44.38 14. Ryan Malmin, Minnesota 24:46.58
Michigan Individual Finishes
15. Mike Woods 24:52.78 20. Victor Gras 25:03.03 27. Ethan Brown 25:18.53 30. Rondell Ruff 25:23.98 41. Andrew Bauer 25:39.23 51. Lex Williams 25:58.33 59. Seth Thibodeau 26:23.58 61. Justin Switzer 26:25.93
Q U O T E S
Sophomore Mike Woods
On the race ... "Basically, everyone had a bad race today, except for Victor (Gras) and Ethan (Brown). It went out pretty hard, and I really didn't stick my head in it, I didn't go out with the leaders. I just was never in the race. As far as the team goes, it may have been the sloppier weather. It may have been the slow pace. Really though, we can't use any of those as excuses. We just ran poorly."
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
