Michigan men’s cross country finishes second at Big Ten championships

Facing a packed crowd of Wisconsin supporters at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships, the Michigan men’s cross country team faced a tough task.

The Wolverines managed to secure second place in a tight runner-up battle, although the support of their home fans prevailed and the 24th-ranked Badgers secured first place. Graduate student Tom Brady used his vast experience to lead Michigan to a third-place finish overall and other young teammates to championship seasons.

The men’s championship was a close race between second, third, fourth and fifth place on the Zimmer Championship cross country course, which is often considered one of the best courses in the country. Wisconsin controlled the game from the start, easily finishing first with just 19 points as the Badgers finished first, second, fourth and fifth.

“Yeah, I guess that’s expected,” Brady said. “They’re a very, very strong team. I mean, they showed that in total today. “They put their guys out really quickly and I guess my only thought was (I) have to go with my Teammates are together. “

The Wolverines are off to a strong start under Brady. Senior Nick Foster backed him up from the start, and in the 2,000 meters, Michigan finished safely in second place, well ahead of third-place Michigan State.

However, as the game progressed to the 11th minute, the gap between the two sides became wider and wider. Brady has yet to claim the No. 1 title in this game, and he is hungrily looking for it.

In the 4,000 meters, the front line included five Wisconsin runners, Brady and two of his Michigan teammates, graduating senior Owen McKenzie and sophomore Caleb Jamala. After transferring from Duke, McKenzie brought a new mentality to his new team.

“He comes to us from the ACC, one of the top distance running conferences in the country,” Michigan coach Kevin Sullivan said of McKenzie. “So he helps bring a different perspective to the experience, but he’s certainly been playing at a high enough level that he can bring some valuable feedback to the players.”

The young Wolverines runners also proved just how important they are to the team. Despite being just a sophomore, this is Jamala’s second appearance in the Big Ten tournament. He was integral to Michigan’s eventual victory and exemplified the depth shown in the game. His teammates, sophomore Luke Venhuizen and freshman Nathan Lopez, also rounded out the Wolverines’ top five.

“I thought these young guys really stepped up today,” Brady said. “They had some really solid games and some of our other guys had a few days off. “They picked up that slack and I think it just shows that these guys have bought into it and as a Michigan fan, I’m excited about that. Very excited about what this team will do in the next few years. “

Some of the Wolverines’ performances in the game were less than ideal. Seniors Nick Foster and Jack Spamer have been integral members of the team all season but finished 27th and 36th, respectively, on Friday. However, their off day allowed the young runners to shine, showcasing Michigan’s depth.

It also helps that Brady is so successful. Twenty minutes into the game, the top three players — the two Badgers and Brady — separated themselves from the rest of the field.

Brady tried to get an advantage on Wisconsin runner Bob Liking (returning to the Big Ten title). But course conditions and fatigue began to take their toll, and Likin easily finished first, with his Wisconsin teammate close behind in second. That left Brady scrambling for third down with two Badgers hot on his heels. I managed to beat them all and finish the 8000m in a little over 24 minutes.

MacKenzie set the tempo of the race early on and finished eighth, while Jamara just missed out on a top-10 finish in 11th place with a time of 24.39 minutes.

“I think it shows that we still have some work to do to get ready for the regional meetings in the coming weeks,” Sullivan said. “But, you know, we had absolutely no injuries today and we’re going to be ready in two weeks to try to win a national championship.”

The meeting revealed many of Michigan’s strengths and weaknesses. The youngster emerged and showcased the Wolverines’ uncertain depth, which, led by Brady’s confident and composed play, was integral to their success. But finding consistency will be the key to impressive results on the regional and national stages.

related articles