Weekly Release #5 (at EMU Classic)

Michigan Women's Cross Country
2007 Weekly Release #5

Upcoming Schedule
Friday, Oct. 19 -- at EMU Classic (Dexter, Mich.), 4 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 28 -- at Big Ten Championships (Columbus, Ohio), 10:45 a.m.

This Week: The EMU Classic ...
The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan women's cross country team will run in nearby Dexter, Mich., participating in the EMU Classic on Friday (Oct. 19). The 5,000-meter non-scoring meet at will be held at the Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter, Mich., where Michigan hosted the Wolverine Open. The race is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

The Wolverines that will be running at the EMU Classic are: sophomore/freshman Jennie Biewald (Ottawa, Ontario/Hillcrest), senior/junior Natasha Luppov (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron), sophomore/freshman Rachel Severin (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea), sophomore/freshman Alysha Valencia (Lawrence, Kan./Free State), senior/junior Lisa Canty (Highland, Mich./Milford), fifth-year/senior Laura Glynn (Farmington Hills, Mich./Harrison) and senior/junior Lisa Montgomery (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson).

Last Year at the EMU Classic ...
Michigan wrapped up its regular season at the EMU Classic on Friday, Oct. 20, 2006, at Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter, Mich. Four Wolverines ran at the event, with three harriers finishing in the top nine spots on the 5,000-meter course.

Natasha Luppov led the way for the Michigan quartet, finishing sixth place overall with a time of 18:28. Lisa Canty and Lisa Montgomery each finished in the top 10, as Canty took eighth with a time of 18:46, followed closely by Montgomery, in ninth at 18:48.

Last Meet: The NCAA Pre-Nationals ...
The Wolverines turned in a third-place showing in the White division at NCAA Pre-Nationals Saturday afternoon (Oct. 13). U-M scored 173 points on the 6,000-meter at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center.

Senior/junior Nicole Edwards (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey) set the pace for the Wolverine pack, clocking in with a team-best time of 20:29.7 for 11th place in the field of 235. Edward's time bettered her previous college best of 20:52.5 set at the 2005 NCAA Championships.

Crossing just 5.2 seconds on Edwards' heels was fifth-year senior Erin Webster (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child), who finished 13th with a time of 20:34.9.

Third across the line for the Maize and Blue was sophomore Jenny Morgan (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) who finished 25th with a time of 20:56.6. It marked the first time she completed a 6,000-meter race under the 21-minute mark; her previous best was 21:23 set at the 2006 Sundodger Invitational.

The Leaders and Best ...
Women's cross country has won the Big Ten championship and received the Leaders and Best award for five consecutive years. The Leaders and Best award honors the University of Michigan varsity team that earns the highest grade-point average.

Big Ten Runner of the Week ...
Jennie Biewald was named Big Ten Conference Runner of the Week Tuesday (Oct. 9) for her winning performance at the Michigan Intercollegiate Friday (Oct. 5) in Rochester, Mich. Biewald recorded a time of 14:40 on the 4,000-meter course, finishing five seconds ahead of the next fastest runner, Rachel Severin, to record Biewald's first collegiate victory. This is Biewald's first career conference award.

The Mike McGuire File ...
Mike McGuire is in his 16th season as a head coach for the Michigan women's cross country team. In 2006, Michigan won the Big Ten championship under McGuire, as well as placing third in the 2006 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships. For his accomplishments, he received Big Ten Coach of the Year honors for the eighth time, with five straight (2002-06) following a three-peat from 1992-94. In his first four seasons, McGuire won three consecutive Big Ten and NCAA District IV team championships, and the Wolverines finished as high as second (1994) at the NCAA Championships. McGuire's Michigan teams have 13 top-two finishes in 14 seasons at the Big Ten Championships and 10 top-two finishes at the regional championships, winning the regional meet in 1993, '94, '95, 2004, and '05. His teams have finished among the nation's top 10 eight times at the NCAA Championships. McGuire has helped 86 cross country and track athletes earn All-America honors and has coached six Big Ten individual champions and five Big Ten freshmen of the year.

USTFCCCA Division I Womens Cross Country rankings (10/16/07)

 Rank, Team (first-place votes) Points 1. Stanford (13) 390 2. Oregon 368 3. Florida State 365 4. Princeton 358 5. Arizona State 332 6. MICHIGAN 320 7. Michigan State 317 8. Minnesota 294 9. Washington 280 10. Illinois 264 11. Georgetown 251 12. Colorado State 234 13. Arkansas 231 14. Texas Tech 221 15. Colorado 214 16. Rice 202 17. BYU 192 18. Iowa 161 19. West Virginia 155 20. Northern Arizona 151 21. Wisconsin 128 22. Providence 109 23. N.C. State 96 24. UC-Santa Barbara 92 25. Virginia Tech 86 26. Penn State 64 27. Florida 63 28. Boston College 41 29. Georgia 40 30. Nebraska 14

What's Next ...
Next week, the Wolverines travel to Columbus, Ohio, to bid for their sixth consecutive Big Ten Championship Sunday (Oct. 28) on the Ohio State Golf Course at 10:45 a.m.

Contact: Jeremiah W. Hergott (734) 763-4423