Michigan
Michigan Open
Wolverines Ready for Season-Opening Michigan Open
8/29/2018 4:29:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
» Friday will be the lone home competition for the University of Michigan men's cross country team.
» U-M is ranked No. 13 in the preseason National Coaches' Poll and will be looking to defend its back-to-back Big Ten titles.
» Several veteran All-American runners in Avery Evenson, Claire Borchers and Haley Meier will be joined by All-American transfer Anna West and a slew of up-and-coming Wolverines.
THIS WEEK
Friday, Aug. 31 -- host Michigan Open (Hudson Mills Metropark), 10:30 a.m.
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The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan women's cross country team begins its journey to three consecutive Big Ten team titles Friday (Aug. 31) as the Wolverines open their 2018 season with the Michigan Open at Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter, Michigan.
This will be Michigan's lone home competition of the 2018 season, though select members of the squad will return to Hudson Mills in October for the Eastern Michigan Fall Classic.
Scheduled for a 10:30 a.m. start following the completion of the men's competition, the non-scored intrasquad race will be contested on a five-kilometer (3.11-mile) course over the gently rolling hills of Hudson Mills Metropark, located just north of downtown Dexter. The race will also feature unattached competitors.
Later in the season, the women will transition to running the six-kilometer (4.97-mile) distance contested during the Big Ten and NCAA postseason.
Admission to Hudson Mills Metropark is $10, which covers parking for the event. The site opens at 7 a.m. daily. [ More Information ]
THINGS TO KNOW
• Led by reigning Great Lakes Region and Big Ten Coach of the Year Mike McGuire, Michigan will enter ranked No. 13 in the preseason National Coaches' Poll and No. 2 in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Rankings announced Tuesday (Aug. 28) and Monday (Aug. 27), respectively. by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
• The Wolverines have claimed five of the last six regional titles and are in the midst of the third-longest active NCAA Championships qualifying streak in the nation at 15 years running. Never before has a women's team in the Great Lakes Region claimed four consecutive regional titles, but the Wolverines -- winners of three straight -- will look to change that in 2018. The top two teams in the region will automatically advance to the NCAA Championships.
• This marks the 16th year in a row Michigan has earned a top-30 national rank to start the season. Of those 16 years, Michigan has gone on to outperform their preseason rank at the NCAA Championships in nine of those seasons.
• Friday will likely be the only chance to see many of Michigan's top runners in action in the state of Michigan this year, as the top squad will likely opt out of the Eastern Michigan Fall Classic on Oct. 19 in favor of preparing for the Big Ten Championships the following weekend in Lincoln, Nebraska.
• With Michigan's two All-Americans from last year's NCAA Championships -- Jamie Morrissey and Gina Sereno -- departed, the reins will be handed over to the All-American trio of Avery Evenson, Claire Borchers and Haley Meier, all of whom are in their final season of collegiate eligibility with no track remaining. Evenson was a cross country All-American two seasons ago, while Borchers and Meier were both All-Americans and Big Ten champions on the track in 2018.
• That trio will be joined by newcomer Anna West, set to make her Michigan debut after transferring from Baylor. The former Bear earned All-America honors in cross country a season ago, taking 40th place overall, and scored at every Big 12 indoor and outdoor championship meet during her two years in Waco, Texas.
• Junior Maddy Trevisan leads a corps of younger Wolverines who have developed under the leadership of Michigan's seniors and recent graduates. Trevisan was 46th at the NCAA Championships two years ago.
• Also set to run are redshirt freshmen in 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships steeplechase star Alice Hill and Wisconsin high school standout Camille Davre.
• All of Michigan's first-year collegians will compete unattached, with this race serving as their first taste of collegiate competition at U-M.
THE COURSE
Name: Hudson Mills Metropark North Course
Distance: Five Kilometers (3.11 miles)
Maximum Elevation: 874 feet
Minimum Elevation: 837 feet
Only 3 DAYS until the Michigan Open kicks off our 2018 #ncaaXC season!
— Michigan Cross Country / Track & Field (@UMichTrack) August 29, 2018
Here's a sneak preview of the 5k course at Hudson Mills Metropark. Be sure to be there in person starting at 10am!#Team100 #Team40 #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/cdt86qUmgX
We showed you yesterday what every step of our 5k course at Hudson Mills Metropark looks like from the ground.
— Michigan Cross Country / Track & Field (@UMichTrack) August 29, 2018
Here's what it looks like from above.
Meet us here in TWO DAYS for the Michigan Open on Friday at 10am! #Team100 #Team40 #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/wu3bIDitvk
A LOOK AHEAD
Saturday, Sept. 15 -- at Nebraska Greeno/Dirksen Invitational (Lincoln, Neb.)
Saturday, Sept. 29 -- at Greater Louisville Classic (Louisville, Ky.)
Players Mentioned
