Weekly Release #2
9/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 29 -- at Roy Griak Invitational (Minneapolis, Minn.), 11 a.m. CDT
Saturday, Oct. 6 -- at Murray Keatinge Invitational (Orono, Maine), 11 a.m.
This Week
The No. 19 University of Michigan men's cross country team will compete in its second scored meet of the season when it travels to Minneapolis, Minn., to participate in the Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday (Sept. 29) at 11 a.m. CDT. The race, which will cover 8,000 meters, will be held on the University of Minnesota's Les Bolstad Golf Course. The Wolverines' main competition for their first team title of the season should come from top ranked teams such as No. 5 Providence, the 2000 champion, as well as No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 16 Oregon and No. 20 Minnesota.
Last Week
Freshman Alan Webb (Reston, Va./South Lakes HS) and senior All-American Mark Pilja (Naperville, Ill./North HS) finished first and second, respectively, at the Great American Cross Country Festival last Friday evening (Sept. 21). The Wolverines scored 67 points and trailed only No. 11-ranked North Carolina State, which won the meet with 34 points. Webb, who was running in his first scored collegiate meet, led the pack with a time of 24:05 as Pilja finished three seconds behind with a time of 24:08. Each of Michigan's seven scoring runners placed in the top 30, including four in the top 25.
One-Two Punch
With Alan Webb and Mark Pilja placing first and second at the Great American Cross Country Festival, the duo became the first Michigan teammates to finish in the top two spots in a meet since Jay Cantin (1996-99) and Steve Lawrence (1996-99) accomplished the feat at the Murray Keatinge Invitational on Oct. 9, 1999. While the win is the first of Webb's career, it marks the fourth time Pilja has placed in the top two in a scored meet for Michigan. Last year Pilja claimed three individual titles as he won the Sundodger Invitational (Sept. 23), the Murray Keatinge Invitational (Oct. 7) and the Wolverine Interregional (Oct. 15).
Wolverines No. 14 in National Poll
Michigan moved up to No. 14 in the most recent MONDO poll (Sept. 25), up from its preseason ranking of No. 19. Four teams from the Big Ten Conference are ranked among the top 25, with Wisconsin receiving the highest spot at No. 6. Along with Michigan, No. 19 Indiana and No. 20 Minnesota also represent the Big Ten in the poll.
MONDO NCAA Division I Poll (9/25/01)
Rank, School Points Prev 1. Colorado (14) 398 1 2. Stanford (1) 377 2 3. Arkansas (1) 362 3 4. Notre Dame 343 5 5. Providence 327 4 6. Wisconsin 318 6 7. Villanova 310 7 8. North Carolina State 299 11 9. Northern Arizona 264 8 10. Georgetown 222 T9 11. William & Mary 216 12 12. Arizona 215 T9 13. Portland 185 17 14. MICHIGAN 173 19 15. Brigham Young 170 15 16. Oregon 160 13 17. Iona 148 14 18. Weber State 125 18 19. Indiana 120 16 20. Minnesota 80 20 21. Alabama 78 22 22. Arizona State 66 21 23. Wake Forest 63 23 24. Eastern Michigan 41 NR 25. Air Force 39 24
Youth Movement
Alan Webb was not the only underclassman making a huge contribution to Michigan's team effort last Friday. Besides senior All-Americans Mark Pilja and Mike Wisniewski (Temperance, Mich./Bedford HS), Michigan's other five runners who scored were either sophomores or freshmen. Freshman Nathan Brennan (Cambridge, Ontario/Preston HS) had the second fastest time of the underclassmen with a time of 24:57, which placed him 18th overall, while two other competitors running in their first race also fared well. Jason Stover (Williamston, Mich./Williamston HS), a true freshman, placed 28th overall with a time of 24.14 and redshirt freshman Brian Turner (Omaha, Neb./Millard North HS) crossed the line at 25:36, good enough for a 44th-place finish. The sophomore class got top-40 finishes from Thomas Greenless (Milford, Mich./Milford HS), Dave Sage (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) and Nick Stanko (Wyandotte, Mich./Roosevelt HS).
Contact: David Crabtree (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
