Wolverines to Defend Big Ten Conference Title on BTN
10/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Oct. 27, 2016
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter
THIS WEEK
Sunday, Oct. 30 -- at Big Ten Championships (Minneapolis, Minn.), 11 a.m. CDT
TV: Big Ten Network | BTN2Go | Big Ten Championships Home | 8K Course Map 
The 14th-ranked University of Michigan men's cross country team will defend its conference crown this weekend at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There, U-M will run an 8,000-meter race against 11 other Big Ten programs with its eyes on back-to-back titles.
For the first time in the history of the meet, this year's Big Ten Championships will air live on television on the Big Ten Network and online with BTN2Go.
This marks Michigan's second trip to the Minneapolis area this fall, as the team placed fourth out of 29 teams at the Roy Griak Invitational earlier in the season (Sept. 24). The rolling hills of Les Bolstad Golf Course have played host to the Big Ten Championship before, as well as the Midwest Regional meet, most recently in 2005. The first 3,000 meters are common to both the men's and women's races.
The men's race is set for an 11 a.m. CDT gun, immediately following the women's race, set to begin an hour earlier at 10 a.m. CDT.
Michigan's lineup consists of: Aaron Baumgarten, Micah Beller, Austin Benoit, Billy Bund, Connor Herr, Jordy Hewitt, Kyle Kroon, Connor Mora and Ned Willig.
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
• Michigan seeks to secure its 11th Big Ten championship in an effort to repeat last year's title-winning performance, when the program captured the conference crown for the first time since 1998.
• The Wolverines enter the championship phase of the season ranked No. 14 in the USTFCCCA Coaches Poll and No. 2 in the Great Lakes Region.
• The Maize and Blue boasts a 64-7 record this fall, including an 11-0 tally within the Great Lakes Region. Only Wisconsin (2-0) shares an unblemished regional record, while U-M has the highest win total in the region and the lowest loss record among teams with at least 27 regional victories.
• Last fall, all five scoring Wolverines finished among the top 25 at the Big Ten meet, and U-M has averaged 70 points at the two Big Ten Championships under head coach Kevin Sullivan. At Griak last month, U-M's five scorers finished 3-14-44-46-55.
• Under head coach Kevin Sullivan, U-M has recorded top-four finishes in eight of nine scored meets dating to the 2014 season.
• While Aaron Baumgarten, Micah Beller and Connor Mora ran at last year's meet, this will be the first Big Ten Championships appearance for the remaining six athletes.
• Fans traveling to Minnesota can check out the Fan Fest, hosted by Nike, Mill City Running and Gopher Athletics. Fan fest will include a photo booth, face painting, sign-making, yard games, music, concessions and more beginning at 8:30 a.m. CDT at the Les Bolstad Course.
• This weekend's results will be shared through the social media gathering space of the USTFCCCA's National Results Wall. Fans can check out the national results and get live updates and analysis from on-site fans and athletes.
A LOOK AHEAD
Friday, Nov. 11 -- at NCAA Great Lakes Regional (Madison, Wis.)
Saturday, Nov. 19 -- at NCAA Championships (Terre Haute, Ind.)
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Love my TEAM! #GoBlue https://t.co/tHCvKzYOJu
-- Kevin Sullivan (@ksully330) October 25, 2016
Communications Contact: Chad Shepard
