Photo Gallery
2013 Championship Ring Ceremony Presentation
DETROIT (12/1/2014) -- It was time to celebrate the names of the past and honor the champions of the present as the University of Detroit Mercy men's cross country program held its 50-year anniversary on Sunday, Nov. 30, inside historic Calihan Hall.
The day also featured a special championship ring ceremony at halftime of the men's basketball game to honor the 2013 Horizon League Champion Titans as well as a special recognition of the 2014 championship squad.
"I would like to thank all the alums who came back today," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country
Guy Murray '89. "It was such a great turnout from the guys on the very first team in 1965, to all the coaches in Titan history. There were a lot of great memories shared today and a lot of stories told and I couldn't have asked for a better event to show off our Titan pride."
The event started with the alumni gathering to celebrate the 50 years of men's cross country. The program started in 1965 under the direction of Dominick Taddonio (1965-71) and 50 years later in 2014, the Titans won their second-straight Horizon League Championship. A lot has come in the 50 years since Coach Taddonio took the part time position.
"I was a professor and an educator here at the University when I was offered the chance to coach the team," said the 91-year former Titan head coach. "The thing I will always remember is the bonding and camaraderie that I had with the athletes. Jack Moran '68 has called me on my birthday every year. Jack Doherty '67 has stayed in contact with me and Thomas Quasarano '71 attended my 60th wedding anniversary."
Some of the other speakers on the day included former Titan coaches Earl Clark Jr. '56, and Kevin Donner '85. Coach Murray, Coach Clark and Coach Taddonio are the only three coaches in the history of the men's program, while Coach Donner – a former Titan cross country harrier himself - and Coach Murray are the only two coaches in the history of the women's program.
"I would like to see another team put on a reunion that has this many people attend," said Coach Donner. "The Titan family is something special and we are all a part of that and we all feel that connection."
"It was a privilege to coach the Titans and just like Coach Donner said, we are part of something special and we need to keep that bond strong," added Coach Clark.
All the harriers on hand told stories of their days as a Titan or in the marathons they took part in, including the Boston Marathon and the Motor City Marathon. They also gathered for pictures with their former teammates as well as pictures of all the team MVP's in program history.
At halftime of the men's basketball game against Bowling Green, the Titans of 2013 received their championship rings in front of the crowd. The 2014 Titans were also recognized for their efforts in winning the conference title for the second-straight season.
The 2013 season saw the Titans win not only their first race in program history, but capped it off with a Horizon League title and then "defended" its championship at the 10k NCAA Great Lakes Regional. UDM beat all the conference teams in taking 19th, their first top-20 finish since placing 19th in 2008, and tied for the sixth best mark in school history. It was also the first time since 2008 that Detroit had two runners in the top 100 with five harriers placing in the top 150.
At the Horizon League Championship, the men had five student-athletes in the top 11 to secure not only a team championship, but five individual All-League honors as Detroit totaled 33 points. Detroit's highest finish at the league meet was runner-up in 1980, 1985 and 1986, while the most All-League runners it ever had at the event was three. The event also saw Coach Murray tabbed the Horizon League Coach of the Year.
