Pre-Nats Provides Test for U-M This Weekend

Oct. 13, 2016

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THIS WEEK
Saturday, Oct. 15 -- at adidas Pre-Nationals (Terre Haute, Indiana), 11:35 a.m.
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The 20th-ranked University of Michigan men's cross country team will begin its final push of the regular season this weekend, returning to Terre Haute, Indiana -- or 'Cross Country Town, U.S.A.' -- for the adidas Pre-Nationals Meet. The 8,000-meter race will allow U-M's lineup to get its feet on the Lavern Gibson Championship Course, where this year's NCAA Championship race will be run next month, for the second time this season.

This year's edition of the race will feature athletes from 41 different Division I programs, including the following ranked programs: Arkansas (5), Colorado (6), Colorado State (21), Eastern Kentucky (15), Indiana (13), Oregon (4), Portland (7), Stanford (11) and Virginia (19). Non-ranked conference foes Iowa, Purdue and Ohio State will also compete this weekend.

Michigan will travel 12 student-athletes to Terre Haute, and U-M will run out of box 31.

Blue (elite) and white races will be run for both men and women, and a pair of open races will close the day. The race is a scored event set for an 11:35 a.m. gun, immediately following the women's race, which is set to begin at 11 a.m.

Race Times (Blue Race is Elite)

11 a.m. - Women's 6,000-Meter Blue Race
11:35 a.m. - Men's 8,000-Meter Blue Race
12:15 p.m. - Women's 6,000-Meter White Race
12:50 p.m. - Men's 8,000-Meter White Race
1:30 p.m. - Women's 6,000-Meter Open Race
2:05 p.m. - Men's 8,000-Meter Open Race

Michigan's entries include: Aaron Baumgarten, Micah Beller, Austin Benoit, Billy Bund, Ben Flanagan, Kevin Hall, Connor Herr, Jordy Hewitt, Ben Hill, Kyle Kroon, Connor Mora and Ned Willig. Seven athletes will run in the Blue race, and an additional five will compete in the open race set for 2:05 p.m.

Michigan's Top Career Times at 8,000 meters

• Ben Flanagan -- 23:42.6
• Connor Mora -- 23:58.1
• Aaron Baumgarten -- 24:06.9
• Micah Beller -- 24:10.0
• Kyle Kroon -- 24:39.4
• Billy Bund -- 25:02
• Connor Herr -- 25:15

THINGS TO KNOW
• This is Michigan's first trip to the Pre-Nationals meet since 2008. U-M found success at this course early in the year with a second-place team finish at the Sycamore Invitational (Sept. 10), led by a third-place finish from Connor Herr.

• Flotrack ranks this weekend's meet as the No. 4 race of the 2016 cross country regular season, and U-M is among the teams to watch, according to Flotrack's weekend preview.

• The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course is rolling and challenging. Double white lines, natural boundaries and fence mark the course, which is friendly to spectators and coaches. Kilometer and mile markers are located for all race distances.

• Course records in Terre Haute are held by Samuel Chelanga (Liberty) at 22:51.3 over 8,000 meters and Sally Kipyego (Texas Tech) at 19:28.1 over 6,000 meters (both set in 2008).

• Twitter will be abuzz with results, updates and more from Terre Haute this weekend. Fans can check the hashtag #PreNats2016 to get in on the action, and @XCTownUSA, @IndStTrackField and @Flotrack will be among the most active handles come Saturday.

• This will be Michigan's fourth trip to Terre Haute in the last three seasons, with this year's national meet still looming. Course familiarity has been a benefit to the Wolverines in 2016 so far, and this is U-M's third straight race at 8,000 meters.

• Last weekend, U-M rested from competition, but two weekends ago Aaron Baumgarten led a fourth-place team finish at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minnesota. It is his fifth overall top-five individual finish and helped the Wolverines finish as the top Big Ten program among six schools competing.

• Under head coach Kevin Sullivan, U-M has recorded top-three finishes in six of seven scored meets dating to the 2014 season.

• The Wolverines are currently ranked No. 3 in the NCAA Great Lakes Region and were tabbed No. 20 in the USTFCCCA Coach's Poll (as of Oct. 4).

A LOOK AHEAD
Friday, Oct. 21 -- at EMU Fall Classic (Ypsilanti, Mich.)
Sunday, Oct. 30 -- at Big Ten Championships (Minneapolis, Minn.)

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Wishing a Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to our friends and supporters from North of the Border!  旅 #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/7e98Prv9lr

-- Michigan Track&Field (@UMichTrack) October 10, 2016