Weekly Release #6(at Big Ten Championships)
10/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
2007 Weekly Release #6
Upcoming Schedule
Sunday, Oct. 28 -- at Big Ten Championships (Columbus, Ohio), 10:45 a.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10 -- at NCAA Regional Championships (Bloomington, Ind.), 11 a.m.
This Week: The Big Ten Championships ...
The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan women's cross country team will travel to Columbus, Ohio, for the 2007 Big Ten Championships on Sunday (Oct. 28). The 6,000-meter meet will be held at the Ohio State Golf Course in Columbus, Ohio, and the race is scheduled to begin at 10:45 a.m.
This week the Wolverineswill seekto win their sixth straight Big Ten conference title (and ninth total) a feat that has never been accomplished by this program.
The Wolverines that will betraveling to theBig Ten Championshipsare: freshman Danielle Tauro (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional), sophomore Kelly Sampson (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance), sophomore/freshman Jennie Biewald (Ottawa, Ontario/Hillcrest), junior/sophomore Geena Gall (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc), 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 Nicole Edwards (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey), sophomore Jenny Morgan (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston), senior Lisa Uible (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill), fifth-year senior Erin Webster (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child), junior/sophomore Katie Williams (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and sophomore Eileen Creutz (Saline, Mich./Saline).
Back-to-Back...
Last year Erin Webster finished first overall with a time of 20:23 to win the Big Tenconference individual title.This year she looks to make it two in a rowto place her with Katie McGregor (1997-98) as the only Wolverines to accomplish back-to-back individual championships. Her performance last year marked the sixth time that a Michigan harrier has won the conference's individual title, joining Molly McClimon (1993), Deanna Arnill (1994) and Rebecca Walter (2003).
A Homecoming...
This weekwill also serve as a homecoming for Katie Williamswhen she runs in her first Big TenConference Championships. Williamswho isfrom Columbus, Ohio, was a Academic All-Big Ten Conference member last year and has run in three meets this season the Woverine Open, Indiana Invitational and the Notre Dame Invitational.
Last Year at the Big Ten Championships ...
Erin Webster led U-M to its fifth consecutive Big Ten Conference title on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006, at the Indiana Cross Country Championship Course. Webster finished first overall with a time of 20:23 to win the conference individual title.
Winning the fifth straight team title was not an easy task, as a total of six Big Ten schools were ranked among the top 23 spots nationally. Alyson Kohlmeier (Sarnia, Ontario/St. Patrick's) was right behind Webster, as she finished second overall with a mark of 20:35. Nicole Edwards also earned a top-10 spot, placing ninth overall (20:59).
Last Meet: The EMU Classic ...
The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan women's cross country team wrapped up its regular season at the EMU Classic Friday (Oct. 20) at the Hudson Mills Metropark. Michigan's top runners took the week off in preparation for the Big Ten Championships. Six Wolverines ran at the event, with four Michigan harriers finishing in the top ten spots.
Rachel Severinled the Wolverines, finishing fourth with an 18:12. Severin was followed closely by Natasha Luppov in fifth (18:26) and Alysha Valenciain seventh (18:35).
Rounding out the top ten on this cold and windy afternoon was senior/junior Lisa Montgomery (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) in 10th (18:58).
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 ...
Rachel Severin was named Big Ten Conference Runner of the Week Tuesday (Oct. 23) for her performance at the EMU Classic Friday (Oct. 19) in Dexter, Mich. Severin recorded a fourth-place time of 18:12 on the 5,000-meter course. This is Severins first career conference award. Severin is the third Wolverine to win the award this season joining Erin Webster and Jennie Biewald.
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 (10/23/07)
This weeks poll shows no changes as many teams had last week off. The Big Ten has seven teams ranked, four of which are in the top-10 making this one of the toughest conferences in nation. "I think that the depth and quality of the conference is better than it was last year" said coach McGuire.
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 ...
After a two-week hiatus, the Wolverines will travel to Bloomington, Ind., to bid for their sixth NCAA Regional Championship Saturday (Nov. 10) on the IU Cross Country Championship Course. Action begins around 11 a.m.
Contact: Jeremiah W. Hergott (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
