If there’s one thing worth knowing about the No. 25 Michigan men’s cross country team, it’s that it means business. If there’s one thing worth knowing about Wolverines graduate student Tom Brady, it’s that he’s a leader.
Put the two together, and you have a third-place finish among the 30 teams in the Madison-Great Lakes region, one spot ahead of projections and ahead of No. 17 Notre Dame. The Wolverines finished above the top four needed to secure an NCAA tournament berth at the end of the month.
Michigan’s continued top-notch results and Brady’s individual results speak for themselves. But it’s what’s not reported on the stat sheet that has allowed Brady and the Wolverines to climb back into the top 25 this season, finish second in the Big Ten Tournament and finish on the podium in the Great Lakes Region: intensity and leadership.
“We understand what it takes to get there,” Michigan coach Kevin Sullivan said. “We knew we had to come into the game with the intensity we’ve had all season long and really make it a business trip.”
With that goal in mind, the Wolverines got off to a strong start through the first 4,000 meters. Brady took the lead, followed by graduate student Nick Foster, less than a second behind. Seconds earlier, senior Owen MacKenzie and sophomore Caleb Jarema were running side by side, causing Michigan to swing between third and fourth with the The Fighting Irish swapped those positions.
“We really just want to come out here and get the job done,” Brady said. “I think it’s a lot like ‘We have business to take care of.’ ”
The Wolverines are indeed taking care of business, with No. 3 Brady serving as CEO.
But Michigan’s final 2,000-meter sprint was a collective effort. With Foster, McKenzie, Jarema, senior Zach Stewart, sophomore Luke Venhuizen and freshman Nathan Lopez following in Brady’s footsteps, the Wolverines’ The pressure gets even greater early on. They surpassed other runners after each 2000-meter run, finishing 16th, 18th, 32nd, 47th, 24th and 37th respectively.
However, a third-place team finish would not have been possible without Brady’s commendable individual third-place finish. He won in 29 minutes, 41.8 seconds, less than a second behind the top two finishers, Bob Liking and Jackson Sharp of Wisconsin.
“Tom is definitely a leader on and off the court,” Sullivan said. “He has a very good work ethic. “The way he goes about things is very professional and that especially affects the young people around him. “
Clearly, Brady influenced his teammates. He and the other six participating Wolverines all finished in the top 50 out of 211 competitors, just ahead of Notre Dame. As the NCAA Tournament approaches, Michigan State hopes to continue maintaining its work ethic and professionalism to reach its highest potential.
“Completing the work today is a sign that we are moving in the right direction,” Brady said. “We haven’t really backed down yet. The nationals will be our chance to relax. That’s what we’ve been training for. “Our mentality is that we are one of the best teams in the country. “
The Wolverines will return to the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 18. Michigan plans to keep its faith in Brady after “getting it done” on Friday. But in order to fully showcase their talents, Foster, McKenzie, Stewart, Venhuizen, Jarema and Lopez must remain enthusiastic. The Wolverines are serious and to succeed nationally, intensity and leadership need to always be at the core of the business plan.