DETROIT (10/26/2016) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's cross country team will begin the postseason by visiting Wisconsin for the 2016 Horizon League Championship.
The 8k race will begin at 1:00 p.m. (EST) at the Wayne Dannehl Championship Cross Country Course on the campus of UW-Parkside in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Last year, the Titans took fifth with 123 points with
Ben Kendell leading the way earning second in 24:41.
Detroit Mercy competed in five races during the regular season and nine harriers scored in a race during the year. The roster features a young group with five true freshmen and seven first-year harriers on the squad.
Kendell has been the main Titan all year leading the team in all four of his races, including two wins, a runner-up mark, and a top-10 effort. He has been tabbed the HL Runner of the Week three times and set the school 8k record with a time of 24:15 at the Greater Louisville Classic.
He has back-to-back First Team All-Horizon League accolades on his resume, taking fifth in 2014 and runner-up last season.
"Kendell should be in a group of challengers for a title and that will be a fun group to watch," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country
Guy Murray '89.
Senior
Austin Wigent has improved tremendously in the last two races, setting a season-low 26:12 for eighth at the Canisius Alumni Classic. He was Second Team All-HL in 2013 and then helped the Titans clinch their second-straight title beating a Milwaukee runner for the fifth scorer at the 2014 championship.
Another veteran is also running at his best as junior
Charlie Felton is rounding back into form as he awaits his third HL meet.
Some of the new Titans have stepped in and shined at various times on the season. Junior college transfer
Greg Ingle missed the first few races due to injury, but has rebounded to post a season-best 26:48 at Canisius.
Freshmen
Adam Fraeyman,
James McCann,
Brendan McClanahan,
Santana Scott and
Scott Smith have all scored for the Titans on the year in the regular season, while juniors
Miles Kelleher and
Cody Smith all have a Horizon League championship race under their belt.
"We are a young team, but in the last few weeks, the upperclassmen have really come along," said coach Murray. "With Ben, Austin, Charlie and Greg, the older guard is moving forward and hopefully the freshman can follow them and we will get a good result."
The Titans have won two championships taking home the trophy in 2013 and 2014. Detroit Mercy also has three runner-up performances to its credit in 1980, 1985, and '86, with the latter two teams led by current Titan head coach
Guy Murray '89.
Detroit Mercy will be in search of its first individual winner as Kendell (2015),
Colin Creagh (2014) and Ken Dubois (1987) all recorded runner-up efforts for the highest Titan finish.
There will be no live scoring for the race and results will be posted as soon as they are available. For live race updates, follow the Titan Track and Field/Cross Country twitter account
@DetroitTitanTnF.
