Weekly Release #2: Wolverines Head to Detroit Titan Invite
9/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
This Week
Saturday, Sept. 6 -- Detroit Titan Invite (Northville, Mich.)
The University of Michigan women's cross country team will make its second appearance of the season Saturday (Sept. 6) when they travel to the Detroit Titan Invite. The 5,000-meter event will begin at 11 a.m. and held at Cass-Benton Park in Northville, Mich.
The Wolverines will be making their first appearance at the Detroit Titan Invitational since 2002. That year, the Maize and Blue took first place in a five-team field.
Last Time Out: Michigan Open
Last week, Michigan opened the season by hosting the Michigan Open. For the second consecutive year, sophomore Danielle Tauro(Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) crossed the line first, winning the 5,000-meter event in a time of 18:30. Other top performers wearing Maize and Blue included senior/junior Alison Nesbitt(Essexville, Mich./Garber) (2nd, 18:34), senior/junior Kelly Sampson(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) (4th, 19:03) and fifth-year senior Lisa Montgomery(Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) (5th, 19:13). Three of Michigan's freshmen, Lindsey Gakenheimer(Monroe, Mich./Monroe), Mary Grace Pellegrini(Louisville, Ky./duPont Manual) and Lindsay Hagan(Novi, Mich./Northville), made collegiate debuts, running unattached.
Wolverine to Watch
Alison Nesbitt, Senior/Junior
After not competing in 2007 due to injury, Nesbitt made a strong return to action last weekend at the Michigan Open, taking second place with a time of 18:34. Nesbitt's previous best finish in a collegiate event was 11th at the Wolverine Open in 2006.
Tauro Earns Big Ten Co-Runner of the Week Honors
After winning the season-opening Michigan Open, sophomore Danielle Tauro was named Big Ten Co-Runner of the Week, along with Caitlin Lane of Penn State. Tauro took the top spot at the Michigan Open with a time of 18:30, winning the event for the second straight season. The weekly honor was the first for Tauro in her U-M career.
The Mike McGuire File
Mike McGuire is in his 17th season as head coach of the Michigan women's cross country team. During his tenure, the Wolverines have won eight Big Ten titles and five NCAA Regional crowns. McGuire has been honored as the Big Ten Coach of the Year on eight occasions and has been named NCAA Regional Coach of the Year five times. Under McGuire, Michigan has posted 14 top-two finishes in 16 seasons at the Big Ten Championships, 11 top-two finishes at NCAA Regionals and eight top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships.
Up next...
The Wolverines will next be in action on Friday, Oct. 3, when they travel to South Bend, Ind., to take part in the Notre Dame Invitational. Action will begin at 2:00 p.m. on the Notre Dame Golf Course.
Contact: Jeremy Reid (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
