Michigan Cross Country ranked #1 (W) and #11 (M)
Awhile ago, I had a post on Michigan hiring former star Kevin Sullivan as their new Men's Cross Country head coach.
What he has done has been incredible. Michigan is undefeated through two races. Their most recent came on Friday in the Blue and Gold Invitational.
#19 Michigan took down 12 top-30 teams en route to their second title of the season. As a result, MXC zoomed up the USTFCCCA Poll to #11 in the nation, their highest ranking since 2012.
Meanwhile, Women's Cross Country continues to be the monster that they are. They have been ranked #1 in the nation since preseason and haven't skipped a beat. They're also perfect on the season.
The sophomore sensation Erin Finn continues to be all-world. Last year she won B1G Athlete of the Year and B1G Freshman of the Year which is Sierra Romero-esque. Michigan also has a team loaded with championships experience.
The next team most likely to win the national championship at Michigan is Women's Cross Country.
Not only are the programs national powers, but they have their own practice course now in Radrick Farms. How many other XC programs can say they have a great competition course in the U-M Golf Course AND a great practice course?
October 7th, 2014 at 12:54 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 4:13 PM ^
I did not watch the Minnesota Football game but did watch the Woman's team live from the Battle-of-Beantown that same weekend. They are #1 and football sucks.
Many of these meets are available if you have a subscription at flotrack.org. Here is an interview with Erin Finn from that meet.
http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/251682-Battle-in-Beantown-2014/video/7…
October 7th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
I ran cross for eight years and I could barely get excited to watch the girls team or even my own team if I had come down with a boo-boo that week. Very fun to be a part of, but spectating is a whole other thing.
Still, though, love the sport and I'm obviously happy when Michigan is doing well.
October 7th, 2014 at 12:59 PM ^
How good was the men's team before Kevin Sullivan?
October 7th, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
Runner-up in the B1G each of the previous two seasons, won the Great Lakes Regional in 2013 but had really mediocre NCAA Championship performances under Alex Gibby.
The last time Michigan didn't place somewhere in the 20s was in 2003 when they finished in 9th place.
Kevin Sullivan never was a head coach. Anywhere. He was a volunteer assistant at FSU. But him being the undisputed greatest athlete in MXC history and being relatively young and having that assistant coaching experience made him a great hire.
I think Sullivan is the first guy DB has ever hired as HC that didn't have previous HC experience.
October 7th, 2014 at 1:13 PM ^
As I've said before, I'm a huge Erin Finn fan. Very impressive student athlete.
October 7th, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
All Dave Brandon baby!
October 7th, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
Nice to know we're good at something!
October 7th, 2014 at 2:07 PM ^
KEEP DAVE WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO WHERE ARE THE MUPPETS
October 7th, 2014 at 3:06 PM ^
Enjoy it while you can. Those looking to boycott football games and out Brandon may regret it when our lesser sports programs take a hit. This has been Brandon's point all along and I for one support him. $300 for season tickets is not allot to pay. Perhaps I'm just used to Manhattan prices...
October 7th, 2014 at 3:21 PM ^
You do realize that Football pays the bills right?
October 7th, 2014 at 8:22 PM ^
Can we stop with this "Brandon created non-revenue sports" falsehood.
Michigan can boast two non-profit sports that can claim to have more national titles than any other school.
Swimming has 12 Nat'l titles (+7 unofficial). All but one before the Brandon era.
Hockey has 9 national titles. All before Brandon.
Softball was the first team east of the Mississippi River to win a National Championship - in 2005.
Bill Martin started the Men's and Women's soccer programs. He hired John Beilein.
I don't know where this sudden argument that Brandon is the first or only AD to put attention and money into non-revenue sports is coming from. He's simply continuing the tradition that all ADs preceeding him have in promoting and funding all sports. Except Brandon gets an extra 22M a year from the BTN to help.
October 7th, 2014 at 4:02 PM ^
He's one of the fastest high school distance runners in America....a true difference maker. Potential Olympian. GET HIM.
October 7th, 2014 at 4:20 PM ^
I disagree with the premise that "What he has done has been incredible", regarding the new men's coach Sullivam. I am more in the camp of let's wait and see how they do at B1G's, Great Lakes, and NCAAs. Early season meets are not critical in the scheme of things.
The guy has been the coach for 2 months and the entire foundation of the team is Gibby's high volume training and Gibby's recruiting.
October 7th, 2014 at 4:31 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 7th, 2014 at 5:06 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
It's hard to keep your eyes off them.
/ That's what happened, right?
// They didn't just run out at you like deer?
October 7th, 2014 at 7:53 PM ^
Saw them running at Main and Depot(I think that's Depot) today.
November 1st, 2014 at 7:44 PM ^
November 1st, 2014 at 9:06 PM ^
Do you want to make a thread about it tomorrow? If you're interested in doing a write up I can make it so you can post your own.