Wolverines Claim Fifth Place at Big Ten Championships

Sunday, November 1

State College, Pa.

10:45 AM

Michigan

Big Ten Championships

Wolverines Claim Fifth Place at Big Ten Championships

11/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country

Nov. 1, 2009

Photo Gallery

Site: State College, Pa. (Blue/White Golf Course)
Meet: Big Ten Championships (5.2 miles)
U-M Finish: Fifth of 10 Teams (117 points)
Top U-M Individual: Brendon Blacklaws, 14th (25:44.3)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 14 -- at NCAA Great Lakes Regional (Bloomington, Ind.), Noon

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The University of Michigan men's cross country team took fifth place at the Big Ten Conference Championships (117 points), scoring five runners in the top 30 on Sunday (Nov. 1) at Penn State's Blue/White Golf Course. Wisconsin captured the team trophy for the 11th year in a row.

Freshman Brendon Blacklaws (Wellington, New Zealand/Wellington College) led the way for the Wolverines for the first time this season, covering the 5.2-mile course in 25:44.3 en route to 14th place and All-Big Ten second team honors in his first appearance at the annual conference meet.

Michigan's next three -- senior/junior Peter Christmas (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS), fifth-year senior Sean McNamara (Elmhurst, Ill./York HS) and freshman Dallas Bowden (Hastings, New Zealand/Nelson College) -- essentially crossed the finish line together, claiming 23rd, 24th and 26th in times of 26:00.7, 26:02.2 and 26:06.4, respectively. Sophomore Bobby Aprill (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) rounded out the Wolverine scoring in 30th place with a time of 26:11.3. Michigan's final four scored runners crossed the line within a narrow 11-second margin.

After a two-week hiatus, the Wolverines will continue postseason competition at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Indiana University Championship Cross Country Course in Bloomington, Ind. The men's 10,000-meter race is slated for a noon start.

Team Standings

 1. Wisconsin         26 2. Ohio State        91 3. Minnesota         97 4. Indiana          106 5. MICHIGAN         117 6. Iowa             149 7. Illinois         166 8. Michigan State   188 9. Penn State       23210. Purdue           279

Top 10 Individuals

 1. Hassan Mead, Minnesota            25:00.2 2. Elliot Krause, Wisconsin          25:05.9 3. Jeff See, Ohio State              25:07.3 4. Maverick Darling, Wisconsin       25:16.4 5. Mohammed Ahmed, Wisconsin         25:21.7 6. Zachary Mayhew, Indiana           25:28.9 7. Craig Miller, Wisconsin           25:29.9 8. Landon Peacock, Wisconsin         25:34.7 9. Matt Barrett, Minnesota           25:35.210. Andrew Poore, Indiana             25:36.8

Other Michigan Individuals

14. Brendon Blacklaws, U-M            25:44.323. Sean McNamara, U-M                26:00.724. Peter Christmas, U-M              26:02.226. Dallas Bowden, U-M                26:06.430. Bobby Aprill, U-M                  26:11.359. Zach Ornelas, U-M                 27:07.069. Geoff Burns, U-M                  27:25.283. Brandon Fellows, U-M              28:11.184. Derek Henning, U-M                28:12.1