Michigan
Greeno/Dirksen Invitational
Wolverines Cruise to Greeno/Dirksen Invitational Team Title
9/15/2018 12:43:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
Site: Lincoln, Neb. (Mahoney Golf Course)
Event: Greeno/Dirksen Invitational
Distance: Six Kilometers (3.73 miles)
U-M Team Finish: 1st place of 12 teams (20 points) in Red Division
Top U-M Individual: Hannah Meier, 2nd (21:18.7)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Sept. 29 -- at Greater Louisville Classic (Louisville, Ky.)
• Complete Results
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Led by Hannah Meier in her first race on the grass since the fall of 2016, the No. 12 University of Michigan women's cross country team dominated the field to win the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational on Saturday morning (Sept. 15).
Meier, who earlier this fall was approved for a sixth year of eligibility in cross country due to her injury history, led seven Wolverines in the top 10 as Michigan tallied just 20 points to handily defeat runner-up South Dakota's 96-point total.
The Wolverines dominated the Red Division of the race (NCAA Division I programs), with conference foe Iowa more than 100 points behind in third with 124 points, North Dakota State fourth with 128 and Wyoming rounding out the top five with 138.
Running on the same deceptively hilly six-kilometer (3.73-mile) circuit at the Mahoney Golf Course that will play host to the Big Ten Championships on Oct. 28, Meier crossed the line in 21:16.5, just a second and a half behind winner Andrea Shine of Iowa.
"I think that people were just out there racing and were not worried in getting caught up in their order," head coach Mike McGuire said. "I think that getting on this course now is going to lend us some tremendous insight for when we come back here for the conference meet."
Though comparing finishing times between different courses is an exercise that should be undertaken with a grain of salt (varying course layouts, conditions and race tactics), Saturday marked Meier's fastest 6K race dating back through both her Michigan and Duke days.
Behind Meier came a parade of Wolverines. Former All-American Avery Evenson was third in 21:18.7 in her 2018 debut, Michigan Open winner Camille Davre was fourth in 21:21.8 in her first career 6K race, Claire Borchers was fifth in 21:28.3, and the five-woman scoring lineup was bookended with another Meier as twin sister Haley Meier took sixth in 21:30.5 in her first 2018 appearance.
All told, only 14 seconds separated the Meier twins and all the runners in between, with only an additional seven seconds to account for all of Michigan's top seven.
Iowa's Shine established herself at the front of the race early, with the Wolverines following McGuire's plan to key off whomever established the pace at the front of the race. Through three kilometers (1.86 miles), it was Evenson leading the Michigan pack, and she remained the leading Wolverine through the fifth kilometer (3.11 miles), with Davre right behind her and Hannah Meier just a bit farther back.
Hannah Meier moved to the front of the Wolverine attack in the final kilometer, nearly chasing down Shine down the homestretch.
"It's great to see her rewarded for the fight that she's put forth getting back to this level," McGuire said. "It's a testament to her perseverance and her determination. It was her day today, within the framework of the team, so she fed off the strength of the pack, and she had a typical Hannah Meier finish.
"She's got wheels at the end, so she can definitely make things happen. If the race had been a few meters longer, she may have pulled it out at the end. We're ecstatic with her result, and we're really proud of the process that got her to this result."
Both Meiers, Evenson and Borchers are all competing in their final cross country seasons, with Haley Meier, Evenson and Borchers only having cross country left in their collegiate careers. Hannah Meier has been granted a sixth year of both indoor and outdoor track.
Baylor transfer Anna West was seventh in 21:32.1 and Kathryn House was ninth in 21:37.5 to round out Michigan's seven-woman contingent in the top 10. Alice Hill nearly made it eight, finishing 11th overall in 21:51.6, a strong showing for the mid-distance/steeplechase specialist.
All eight of those women came through ahead of Nebraska's Erika Freyhoff, who was named the conference's Athlete of the Week for the opening weekend of the 2018 season.
The Wolverines put 10 runners across the line -- additionally, Jessi Larson was 13th in her official Michigan debut and Audrey Belf was 15th -- before any other team in the field managed to get their second runner across the line. Iowa's second runner came through in 16th.
Michigan Results
2. Hannah Meier -- 21:16.5
3. Avery Evenson -- 21:18.7
4. Camille Davre -- 21:21.8
5. Claire Borchers -- 21:28.3
6. Haley Meier -- 21:30.5
7. Anna West -- 21:32.1
9. Kathryn House -- 21:37.5
11. Alice Hill -- 21:51.6
13. Jessi Larson -- 21:55.9
15. Audrey Belf -- 22:02.1
23. Meg Darmofal -- 22:14.1
27. Rachel Coleman -- 22:18.4
Up Next
After a weekend away from competition, Michigan will be back in action at the Greater Louisville Classic on Saturday, Sept. 29, in Louisville, Kentucky. This will mark the fourth consecutive season the Wolverines will race in Louisville, with the NCAA Championships having been held there in both 2015 and 2017 and the Greater Louisville Classic having been on Michigan's schedule for three of the last four seasons.
This event will mark Michigan's second competition within the NCAA Championships at-large qualifying period that is to begin with next weekend's slate of meets, and it will be another step up in terms of the quality of the field as the postseason approaches. The improved competition will provide another valuable opportunity to pick up head-to-head victories.
Players Mentioned
