Miami University
NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship
Miami Men Place 17th at Great Lakes Regional
11/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Nov. 12, 2011
Individual Results
Team Results
TOLEDO, Ohio -Following its worst outing of the year at the Mid-American Conference Championship two weeks ago, the Miami University men's cross country team finished the season on a stronger note, placing 17th at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Saturday, hosted by the University of Toledo at Ottawa Park.
The RedHawks finished with 453 points to take 17th, improving on last year's 18th-place finish at the regional meet despite having just two runners with regional meet experience this year. No. 1 Wisconsin won the 10K race, Miami's first 10K of the year, with 50 points while No. 7 Indiana took second with 70 points as the Badgers and Hoosiers locked up automatic berths to the NCAA Championship among the 31-team field. Butler's Callum Hawkins won the individual title in 30:01.5 in a field of 211 runners.
Among MAC teams, Miami was sixth as Central Michigan placed seventh followed by Akron in 13th, Kent State in 14th, Toledo in 15th and Eastern Michigan in 16th, just 11 points ahead of the 'Hawks. Dayton was right behind Miami in 18th with 489 points while rival Ohio took 19th with 493 points.
Sophomore Dave Wing (Naperville, Ill.) led Miami for the second time in his career and this year, as he finished 53rd in 31:33.2 in his first regional championship race. Junior Jarrod Eick (Hartville, Ohio) was not far behind in 62nd, clocking a time of 31:42.9, which marked a personal-best finish and time at the regional meet.
"Jarrod went out pretty hard, he was trying to be in the top 25 (to earn All-Region honors) but the last couple miles really got to him," head coach Warren Mandrell said. "It was a perfect course for Dave Wing though because it was long and hilly. He ended up catching Jarrod with about 1000 meters to go and passed him."
Redshirt junior Brett Wagner (Toledo, Ohio) put on a good show in his hometown, as he was Miami's third finisher, crossing in 92nd in 32:17.3 with his third-place finish on the team his best ever while also running his first regional race. Redshirt freshman Daniel Garleb (Pickerington, Ohio) was the RedHawks' fourth scorer in 112th place in 32:35.8 while redshirt sophomore Matt Marol (Evanston, Ill.) rounded out the scoring five in 134th in 33:07.6.
"If we would have had a healthy David Eichenberger today we probably would have beaten most of those MAC schools ahead of us," Mandrell said. "I was really pleased with the guys. They just got out and ran compared to the MAC meet where they were so nervous they couldn't let their talent show. Today they just let it happen. The good thing is they all return next year and finishing like this sets them up for next season."
Freshman Ryan Moncrieff (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) was Miami's only other runner at the race, placing 200th in 35:53.0. Redshirt junior David Eichenberger (Plainfield, Ind.), who scored for Miami at last year's regional race, didn't run Saturday because of an injury.
With the RedHawks not qualifying for the NCAA Championship, Miami's cross country season is now complete.
--MURedHawks.com--
Players Mentioned
