Rookie Top Five Paces Wolverines at Wisconsin Invitational

Saturday, October 2

Madison, Wis.

11:45 AM CT

Michigan

Wisconsin adidas Invitational

Rookie Top Five Paces Wolverines at Wisconsin Invitational

10/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country

Oct. 2, 2010

Photo Gallery

Site: Madison, Wis. (Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course)
Meet: Wisconsin adidas Invitational (8,000 meters)
U-M Finish: 20th of 21 Teams (622 points)
Top U-M Individual: Morsi Rayyan, 103rd (24:55.4)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 16 -- at NCAA Pre Nationals (Terre Haute, Ind.), 12:10 p.m.

MADISON, Wis. -- Five members of the University of Michigan men's cross country team made their collegiate debut at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational on Saturday (Oct. 2), contributing to the Wolverines' 20th-place finish (622 points) at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course. Among U-M's first-time competitors, freshman Morsi Rayyan (Dewitt, Mich./St. Johns HS) led his team to the finish line, claiming 103rd place with a time of 24:55.4.

The Wolverines' scoring five posted an 80-second spread between its first and fifth runners across the line. Junior Nick Thomas (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS) and freshman Mark Beams (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg HS) crossed the line together in 158th and 159th place, respectively, while freshmen Matt Popielarz (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS) and Adam Kern (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) came across back-to-back in 174th and 195th place. All five members of Michigan's scoring contingent are rookies to the 2010 U-M squad.

The Wolverines will take a two-week break before returning to action on Saturday, Oct. 16, at the NCAA Pre Nationals in Terre Haute, Ind. Hosted by the Indiana State University, the men's 8,000-meter race is scheduled for a 12:10 a.m. start at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center.

Team Standings (Top 10)

 1. Indiana            43 2. Wisconsin          75 3. Princeton         112 4. Syracuse          131 5. Oklahoma          132 6. Michigan State    191 7. Florida           217 8. North Carolina    225 9. Ohio State        25610. Illinois          280----20. MICHIGAN          622

Top 10 Individuals

 1. Donn Cabral, Princeton         23:29.0 2. Andrew Bayer, Indiana          23:29.4 3. Andrew Poore, Indiana          23:30.7 4. Elliot Krause, Wisconsin       23:32.6 5. Landon Peacock, Wisconsin      23:35.2 6. Mohammed Ahmed, Wisconsin      23:44.2 7. Dumisani Hlaselo, Florida      23:45.6 8. Desean Turner, Indiana         23:46.6 9. David Adams, Nebraska          23:50.310. Zachary Mayhew, Indiana        23:51.4

Other Michigan Individuals

103. Morsi Rayyan, U-M             24:55.4158. Nick Thomas, U-M              25:47.8159. Mark Beams, U-M               25:48.6174. Matt Popielarz, U-M           26:13.5175. Adam Kern, U-M                26:15.2177. Geoff Burns, U-M              26:18.0178. Dan Tyler, U-M                26:23.3191. Garrett Cullen, U-M           27:00.0