Wolverines Gain At-Large Bid to NCAA Championships
11/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The University of Michigan men's cross country team is headed to the NCAA Championships for the fourth straight year and the 14th time in the last 15 seasons under coach Ron Warhurst. The Wolverines were among 13 at-large team selections announced Sunday evening (Nov. 14) by the NCAA, and U-M is one of seven Big Ten Conference school who will represent the league at the national meet.
The NCAA Championships will be held Monday, Nov. 22, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind., with Indiana State University serving as the host. The 10,000-meter men's race is scheduled for 12:15 p.m., following the 11 a.m. women's competition.
The other at-large team selections include Air Force, Butler, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, Central Michigan, Colorado State, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, New Mexico, Northern Arizona and Ohio State.
The top two teams in each of the nine regional meets automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships. Automatic qualifiers include American, Arizona State, Arkansas, Brigham Young, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgetown, Iona, Minnesota, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Providence, Stanford, Texas, William & Mary and Wisconsin.
The Wolverines are coming off a strong performance at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Saturday (Nov. 13). Led by individual champion Nate Brannen (Cambridge, Ontario/Preston HS), the Wolverines put all of their scorers in the top 35 and finished fourth as a team at Eagle Crest Golf Course in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Michigan will be seeking it third straight top-10 team finish at the NCAA Championships. The Wolverines placed ninth last year after an eighth-place performance in 2002. Warhurst has guided U-M to a dozen top-10 national finishes, including program-best fourth-place showings in 1997 and 1998.
NCAA Release (10/14/04)
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
