Going into this weekend, Michigan women's cross country coach Mike McGuire ventured that the firm, flat fairways of the Forest Akers Golf Course in East Lansing might help the Wolverines improve on their individual times. But he also expected them to produce a good effort in the first road meet of the season.
The Wolverines got the best of both worlds. A fast course combined with a team that came ready to run helped the Wolverines grab the top three spots in the Spartan Invitational this weekend, led by junior Katie McGregor, sophomore Elizabeth Kampfe, and redshirt freshman Julie Froud. The Wolverines defeated second-place finisher Ball state by 18 points as well as outlasting Toledo, Ohio State, Macomb Community College and host Michigan State.
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| WARREN ZINN/Daily The Michigan women's cross country
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"Katie really made a statement today," McGuire said.
Unfortunately, no one was close enough to hear it, because she finished 20 seconds ahead of teammate Kampfe, and 45 seconds ahead of the nearest non-Michigan finisher - Shannon Dye of Ball Sate. Junior Eileen Fleck and redshirt freshman Lisa Ouellet rounded out the Wolverines' top five, finishing seventh and ninth overall.
McGuire was pleased by both individual efforts and the team as a whole.
"Across the board, I thought we improved," he said. "Going into this race we needed to improve and we did."
He still feels that there is plenty of room for improvement, but is confident about the team's chances at the Big Ten Championships as well as at NCAAs.
McGuire's team shares his confidence.
"As far as we're concerned, we're ready to win the Big Ten," McGregor said, "If we keep focused, keep doing what we're doing, we'll definitely get there."
McGuire agrees, but softens his enthusiasm by noting that the difference in times between first and fifth place was 1:10. In cross country, only the top five runners' places count towards the team score, so it is important to have as many high finishers as possible. McGuire feels that his team should reduce this gap to 45 seconds or less, in order to achieve that goal.
Nevertheless, room for improvement is a good thing this early in the season. McGuire pointed out that many of his runners are still improving. Ouellet, a middle-distance runner who normally runs the 800- and the 1500-meter races during both track seasons finished fifth for the Wolverines in Saturday's five-kilometer race.
"(Ouellet) could be a big-time cross-country runner" said McGuire who is looking to Ouellet to contribute this season. McGuire also pointed out the improvement of redshirt junior Michelle Slater, who finished 15th, as the biggest improvement on the team from the prior race two weeks ago.
"She'll only continue to get better" McGuire said.
The entire team looks prepared for a great season. The Wolverines are focused, confident, and despite being a young team with no seniors, can rely on the several juniors on the team to provide leadership in races as well as in practice.
"The upperclassmen pushed me in practice," said freshman Erin White, a middle-distance runner like Ouellet. "And I'm learning how to use them during a race to have them pull me along," White finished sixth for the Wolverines and 14th overall in a field of 55.
Despite the confidence gained by Michigan after this weekend's performance, the Wolverines know they need to keep their focus and continue to run hard. The meet this weekend was on a fast course, after a weekend off, and against regional opponents.
Upcoming meets will be on slower courses, against faster opponents and will most likely have national implications. Injuries hampered the Wolverines' season last year, but this fall, they are healthy, and hungry, too.
"I see us really putting it together this fall," McGuire said. team won by a comfortable 18-point margin in the Spartan Invitational.
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Junior Katie McGregor led the Michigan women's cross country team to a victory at the Spartan Invitational. McGregor set a course record with a time of 17:20.1.
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