Video Preview With Coach Murray

DETROIT (9/3/2015) -- Back-to-back Horizon League champions has a great ring to it, but it will be back to business and getting ready for another run at a title as the University of Detroit Mercy men's cross country team participates in the 15th Annual Golden Grizzly Open on Friday, Sept. 4. 

The 6k event will be held at the Oakland Cross Country Course on the campus of Metro Series-rival Oakland in Rochester.

Detroit has taken part in all 14 previous races over the last two years on the Golden Grizzlies Cross Country Course. Other sites have included other parts of campus and the school's golf course as well as off campus at Bloomer Park in Rochester and in the Metroparks.

Last season, UDM claimed second place and had four runners in the top 10.

Season Preview
Winning one was hard, two was tough, and Detroit will now look to cement one of the best spans by any program in Titan history as UDM goes for three Horizon League titles in a row this season.

"With the back-to-back, we definitely have some lofty goals this year," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Guy Murray '89. "We have a veteran group and I would say we are ahead of the pace where I thought we would be. If we can get everybody on the same page and everybody healthy and running at their best, this could be our best team ever."

Detroit won its first championship in surprising style in 2013 and then had to hold off Milwaukee to claim another trophy last year. This season, the Titans will be a large group boasting 14 runners, including an extremely talented core that features six harriers that have taken home All-Horizon League honors.

"We have a lot of guys who have been right in the thick of things at the Horizon League," said coach Murray. "At the regional, we again just missed out of the top 15 last year and that is one of our goals and hopefully we can parlay a healthy season into a good regional finish."

The Titans have seven upperclassmen with six of those runners' seniors. Back in the fold is senior Ryan Hofsess, who missed all of last year with an injury, but just two years ago, he was a vital part of Detroit's first championship. He was First Team All-Horizon League after taking fourth at the HL meet and then became just the 17th Titan in school history to finish in the top 100 at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional claiming 98th in a career-best 32:57.

Senior Colin Creagh missed 2013 with an injury, but he rebounded in great form to lead Detroit to its second-straight title in 2014. He was the Dominick Taddonio Team MVP after topping the team in five of his seven races, including earning First Team All-Horizon League after posting a runner-up effort in the league race. He then finished first among Horizon League runners at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship placing 51st in 31:20, the second fastest 10k time in school history.

Senior Derek Gielarowski is a two-time Second Team All-Horizon League honoree and is coming off a season in which he tallied career times in the 8k and 10k. He also posted a 10k personal record with a time of 31:57 for 82nd at the regional, the 23rd best finish by a Titan in school history at the GLR as well as the seventh fastest 10k time by a UDM runner.

Senior Austin Wigent was All-Horizon League back in 2013 and last season, he helped deliver the trophy back to the Motor City by finishing ahead of Milwaukee's No. 5 runner. He had to deal with an early season injury, but nonetheless, set a personal record at the league meet and then another in the 10k at the GLR. 

Junior Ryan Leahy came back from an injury-plagued freshman year to take 13th at the Horizon League Championship last season, earning Second Team All-HL honors. He also set PR's in the 6k, 8k and 10k.

Senior Joshua Carolin is also back as he has run in 10 career races, while track standout Colton Wirgau is in his first season of cross country. 

Five sophomores and two freshmen comprise the other half of the roster and that group is led by the current HL Freshman of the Year Ben Kendell. Kendell was great as a rookie, finishing in the top two on the team in all seven races and leading the squad on two occasions. He was First Team All-HL as he posted a season-low 24:55 for fifth at the Horizon League Championship, the best finish ever by a Titan true freshman in school history. He was also 79th at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship in 31:53, the best time ever by a Titan freshman at the NCAA event and the sixth quickest school time. 

"Ben set the bar pretty high for himself," said coach Murray. 

Sophomores Charlie Felton and Miles Kelleher each saw extensive race time as freshmen running in six of Detroit's seven events, while sophomore Max Rogowski and Cody Smith each redshirted last year.

Two freshmen are also on the roster in Andrew Heitzhaus and Colin Hooker, with the duo looking to push the team in practice as they earn their miles. 

Detroit has the talent to once again compete for a championship and as long as the training goes smoothly and the team stays healthy, a three-peat is not out of the question.