Weekly Release #6
11/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, Nov. 10 -- at NCAA Great Lakes Regional (Terre Haute, Ind.), 11 a.m
Monday, Nov. 19 -- at NCAA Championships (Greenville, S.C.), 11 a.m.
This Week
The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan men's cross country team will head to Terre Haute, Ind., to compete at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Saturday, Nov. 10. The meet, which is hosted by Indiana State at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course, will cover 8,000 meters of the Wabash Valley Sports Center and will begin at 11 a.m.
Scouting the Field
Michigan, which competes in the Great Lakes Region, will have stiff competition this weekend with five of its opponents ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation. Wisconsin and Notre Dame are considered two of the nation's elite teams as they hold the No. 4 and No. 5 spots, respectively, in the latest MONDO men's cross country rankings. Michigan holds down the No. 11 ranking, followed by Eastern Michigan at No. 16, Michigan State at No. 18 and Indiana at No. 25. With six teams ranked in the top 25 in the nation, the Great Lakes Region is easily one of the best. The only other regions to have as many as six teams ranked in the top 25 are the Mountain Region (Colorado, Northern Arizona, BYU, Air Force, Utah State and Colorado State) and the West Region (Stanford, Portland, Cal-Santa Barbara, Arizona State, Oregon and Arizona). Of those three regions, the Great Lakes Region is the only one with three teams ranked in the top 11.
What the Regional Means
Nine different regional meets will be held this weekend around the nation. The top two finishing teams at each regional will automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships in Greenville, S.C., on Monday, Nov. 19. With 18 teams earning automatic bids, the NCAA will then round out the field of 31 by making 13 at-large selections based on the team's performance over the year. The top four individuals not on a qualifying team will earn an invitations to Greenville, provided they finish in the top 20 at the regional.
Michigan's Lineup for the Great Lakes Regional
Nathan Brannen, Fr. (Cambridge, Ontario/Preston HS)
Tom Greenless, So. (Milford, Mich./Milford HS)
Mark Pilja, Sr. (Naperville, Ill./North HS)
Nick Stanko, So. (Wyandotte, Mich./Roosevelt HS)
Brian Turner, Fr. (Omaha, Neb./Millard North HS)
Alan Webb, Fr. (Reston, Va./South Lakes HS)
Mike Wisniewski, Sr. (Temperance, Mich./Bedford HS)
Last Meet Recap
The Wolverines totaled 71 points as a team en route to a second-place finish at the Big Ten Conference Championships on Sunday, Oct. 28, in Savoy, Ill. Freshman Alan Webb won his third race in as many tries this season as he outpaced the field with a time of 23:19.9, while senior All-American Mike Wisniewski earned a fifth-place showing with a time of 24:03.2. Wisconsin won the team title with 28 points, marking the 16th consecutive year that either the Badgers or Wolverines were the victorious squad at the Big Ten Championships.
Webb Named Big Ten Athlete of the Year
Alan Webb was named the Big Ten Conference Athlete of the Year on Oct. 31 after becoming the first freshman to win the Big Ten Championships since former Wolverine Kevin Sullivan accomplished the feat in 1993. Webb, who won all three scored meets he ran in this year, also posted victories at the Great American Cross Country Festival (Sept. 21) and the Wolverine Interregional (Oct. 14), where he clocked times of 24:05 and 25:12, respectively. Webb becomes the third Wolverine to capture the honor since 1987. Kevin Sullivan (1993-97) was a four-time winner in 1993, '94, '95 and '97, while John Mortimer (1995-98) earned the distinction in 1996. Since 1987, the Maize and Blue earned 13 individual honors on the conference level. Along with six Athlete of the Year awards, U-M has also had four Freshman of the Year honorees in Sullivan (1993), Mortimer (1995), Scott MacDonald (1992) and Shawn Mackey (1990), as well as head coach Ron Warhurst being named Coach of the Year in 1993, '97 and '98.
More Awards for Webb
Alan Webb has another shot for a prestigious national award. By owning the high school record for the mile at 3:53.43, Webb is a nominee for the USA Track and Field Athlete of the Year honor, which will be announced later this month.
Five and Five
Senior Mike Wisniewski ran a time of 24:03.2 at the Big Ten Conference Championships two weeks ago, cutting nearly a minute and a half off his time two years ago at the conference meet. After redshirting last year, Wisniewski not only came back to post a faster time, but he was also able to equal his fifth-place finish, an even more impressive feat when considering he is the only runner to place in the top five at the Big Ten Championships on two different occasions over the last three years.
All-America Status Will Do
Michigan will head into the NCAA Regional with two All-Americans on its roster and another member making a strong bid to become one. Alan Webb will attempt to become an All-American in his freshman year, while seniors Mark Pilja and Mike Wisniewski both have already earned All-American status. Pilja earned the distinction last year with a 17th-place finish at the NCAA Championships and Wisniewski was tabbed as an All-American after placing 32nd at the NCAA Championships in 1999.
They're Good at the Regionals Too
Mark Pilja and Mike Wisniewski are among two of the best runners in the Great Lakes Region. Last year Pilja posted a fourth-place performance at the NCAA Regional held in Ypsilanti, Mich., while Wisniewski's last NCAA Regional performance saw him finish in 18th in Terre Haute, Ind., in 1999.
Indiana State: Home to Larry Bird and NCAA Regionals
Michigan may not compete in Terre Haute, Ind., during the regular season, but three members of the team that will compete on Saturday will be running on familiar turf. Indiana State was home of the 1999 Great Lakes Regional and three of the runners representing the Maize and Blue will run this year -- seniors Mark Pilja, Mike Wisniewski and redshirt sophomore Nick Stanko.
Steady Progress
Michigan moved up one spot to No. 11 in the latest MONDO men's cross country rankings which was released on Tuesday, Oct. 30. The Wolverines have not dropped in the rankings during the year and have gained eight spots since the initial poll in which they were ranked No. 19.
MONDO NCAA Division I Poll (10/30/01)
Rank, School Points Prev 1. Colorado (13) 393 1 2. Stanford (2) 381 2 3. Arkansas (1) 373 3 4. Wisconsin 352 4 5. Notre Dame 329 5 6. North Carolina State 324 6 7. Villanova 283 14 8. Portland 275 7 9. Northern Arizona 267 T9 10. Providence 254 8 11. MICHIGAN 227 12 12. Brigham Young 223 16 13. Cal-Santa Barbara 211 11 14. Arizona State 189 19 15. Air Force 171 T9 16. Eastern Michigan 165 15 17. Wake Forest 120 21 18. Oregon 114 20 19. Michigan State 111 18 20. Arizona 102 13 21. Utah State 73 25 22. Duke 66 17 23. Colorado State 52 22 24. William & Mary 24 NR 25. Indiana 20 23 Utah 20 NR
Contact: David Crabtree (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
