Michigan
John McNichols Invitational
Wolverine Women Showcase Depth at McNichols Invite
9/21/2019 11:26:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Site: Terre Haute, Ind. (LaVern Gibson Championship Course)
Event: John McNichols Invitational
Distance: Five Kilometers (3.11 miles)
U-M Team Finish: 4th of 21 teams (75 points)
Top U-M Individual: Ericka VanderLende, 4th (16:40.1)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Sep. 28 -- at Big Ten Preview (Columbus, Ohio), 9:45 a.m.
• Complete Results (PDF)
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The three-time defending Big Ten Champion and No. 4-ranked University of Michigan women's cross country team impressed in its first appearance of the year on the NCAA Championships course, finishing a narrow fourth in a top-10 team battle at the Indiana State John McNichols Invitational on Saturday (Sept. 21).
The Wolverines finished with 75 points as Ericka VanderLende led the way for Michigan individually with a fourth-place finish, covering the five-kilometer (3.11-mile) LaVern Gibson Championship Course in 16:40.1.
While Michigan -- running without several of its top runners, as did several of its top opponents -- ultimately finished behind No. 5-ranked Arkansas (49 points), No. 8 Stanford (54) and No. 3 Washington (66), it also showed depth that will serve it well as the season progresses.
Five Wolverines crossed the line top-25, a total matched only by Stanford, and both Arkansas and Stanford came two runners shy of Michigan's eight top-35 finishers.
Individually, VanderLende's time is the fastest run by a Michigan woman on LaVern Gibson's 5K course, eclipsing the 17:02.39 run by Katie McGregor at the 1998 NCAA Great Lakes Regional. Michigan's second runner, Kathryn House, also dipped below that mark with her 17:01.9 run for 12th-place.
Rounding out Michigan's scoring lineup -- comprised of its top five runners -- were 14th-place Maddy Trevisan (17:11.5), 23rd-place Alice Hill (17:31.9) and 24th-place Camille Davre (17:32.0).
Hill and Davre were joined across the line by 28th-place Micaela DeGenero (17:32.7), and followed in quick succession by 30th-place Jena Metwalli (17:35.5), 32nd-place Emma Sloan (17:37.8) and 38th-place Kayla Keane (17:43.5).
Just as she did at the Michigan Open, VanderLende ran aggressively from the front from the start and was rewarded with a top finish. After a two-woman breakaway had formed in the first half of the race, VanderLende made a solo move to cover the gap mid-race and ran with the two leaders for much of the second half of the race. Though she ultimately fell off the pace, she was able to rally on the closing stretch and hold off a hard-charging field of All-Americans and national condenders.
Michigan seeks to return to LaVern Gibson twice more this season. In addition to the regular-season Pre-National Invitational on Oct. 19, the Wolverine women aim to advance to their 18th straight NCAA Championships which will be held here on Nov. 23. Michigan was fourth at NCAAs a year ago, and came within a single point of the national title when the Championships were last held in Terre Haute in 2016.
Full Michigan Results
4. Ericka VanderLende -- 16:40.1
12. Kathryn House -- 17:01.9
14. Maddy Trevisan -- 17:11.5
23. Alice Hill -- 17:31.9
24. Camille Davre -- 17:32.0
28. Micaela DeGenero -- 17:32.7
30. Jena Metwalli -- 17:35.5
32. Emma Sloan -- 17:37.8
38. Kayla Keane -- 17:43.5
44. Faith Reynolds -- 17:53.2
45. Raquel Powers -- 17:55.1
60. Megan Worrel -- 18:19.0
Team Standings (Top 10)
1. Arkansas (49 points)
2. Stanford (54 points)
3. Washington (66 points)
4. MICHIGAN (75 points)
5. Northern Arizona (112 points)
6. Illinois (126 points)
7. Purdue (212 points)
8. Indiana State (298 points)
9. Easetern Illinois (299 points)
10. Central Arkansas (316 points)
Players Mentioned
