The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Thursday, October 30, 2008 - 5A HOTUS BY ALLISuN HAMA N/ay From left: Senior Lex Williams, redshirt sophomore Ciaran O'Lionaird and redshirt junior Katie Williams, seen here at the 2007 NCAA meet, will all compete in Sunday's Big Ten Championships on the University of Michigan Golf Course. BLUE ON THE RUN 'M' goes for first title since 1998 Edwards eyeing top of podium By CHANTEL JENNINGS Daily Sports Writer The last time the Michigan cross country team won the Big Ten Championships, most of the team's current runners were in grade school. Since that day in 1998, when the Wolverines ran to their seventh Big Ten Title under Michigan coach Ron Warhurst, Wisconsin has dominated the Big Ten Champion- ships, winning nine straight. And on Sunday at the University of Michigan Golf Course, Wiscon- sin is looking to make it 10. "There's no big game plan here. It's just get out and try to run Michigan into the ground," first- year coach Mick Byrne said in a statement released by the Wiscon- sin Athletic Department yesterday. Warhurst knows that while Michigan and Wisconsin are even- ly matched on paper, beating Wis- consin won't be easy. "Champions don't give up titles, people have to take the title from them," Warhurst said. "They're not going to lay down." Fifth-year seniors Stuart Eagon and defending 2007 Big Ten indi- * vidual champion Matt Withrow lead the Badgers. Both have yet to race this season due to injuries, but plan to race on Sunday. Minnesota, which is led by 2006 Big Ten individual champion senior i Chris Rombough and sophomore Hassan Mead, is another contend- er. Mead is coming off the perfor- mance of a lifetime at the NCAA Pre-Nationals in Terra Haute, Ind., where he posted the school record in the eight-kilometer run and one of the best times in the country this year (23:331). The Wolverines, however, are focusing on the team title. Redshirt junior co-captain Brandon Fellows said he and his teammates would not make any type of move in the race on Sun- day that could put the team title in jeopardy. "We're really focusing on get- ting the team championship and not risking anything by having someone go for an individual win," Fellows said. "It's all about the team." The Wolverines have two big advantages. First, their depth and experience should prove crucial during the race. Six of the nine runners ran in last years' Big Ten Championships, and all nine have posted impressive times this sea- son. Second, the home-course advan- tage will have the Wolverines run- ning on familiar ground. "It'sone ofthehardest courses in the country," senior co-captain Lex Williams said. "It's a tough course, but we've been out there four morn- ings a week doing workouts. When the other teams get here, they're goingto be surprised." While redshirt sophomore Cia- ran O'Lionaird believes that the home course will prove to be an advantage, he knows the timing of when certain runners make their moves will decide the outcome of the race. On such a hilly course, if one runner breaks away too early, it could cost them the race. "We're definitely not going to be naive enough to think that on our course that we can just take it, be gone and run away from every- body," O'Lionaird said. "It's too close of a team race for any team to be able to do that." The No. 9 Wolverines are hun- gry to claim a Big Ten title this year, and would be disappointed with anything less. Coming off an impressive third place finish at the Pre-Nationals Meet, which they ran on tired legs, the Wolverines are hoping to improve upon their times. With the hilly, intense course, Warhurst believes most runners will follow the Wolverines' lead and wait to break until the last 2,000 meters, and if the past few meets are a precursor of the Big Ten Championships, the final stretch of the race should be neck in neck between Wisconsin, Min- nesota, and Michigan. Warhurst is hoping his runners see the opportunity that has been placed in front of them to win a championship. He believes that if they put together their years of training with their mental tough- ness and make smart decisions during the race, they will be in position to claim the title, and end Wisconsin's winning streak. "You only get one opportunity to do something like this, to be this close," Warhurst said. "So they have to take advantage of it." By KATIE FIELD Wolverines and seventh overall. Daily Sports Writer But the team is going to need -- -~---- more thanjust astrongperformance individually, we'll be in good posi- tion team wise." Unlike last year, when three The Big Ten Championships have from Edwards. In the last three Big teams contended for the title in been on fifth-year senior Nicole Ten Championships, Edwards and Columbus, six teams have the Edwards' mind all season long. fifth-year senior tri-captain Aly potential to make a bid for the And this Sunday, there's only one Kohlmeier paced Michigan, notch- crown in Ann Arbor. Ranked just place she wants to be - on top of ing top-10 finishes each.Kohlmeier, one place ahead of No. 8 Michigan, the podium. who has returned this season after Minnesota leads a string of four Big "My personal goal is to win," six months off for stress injuries, Ten teams. Trailing the Wolverines Edwards said. "That is what I have finished second overall in two of are No.9 Michigan State and No.10 looked towards all season, so I'll be the meets. Illinois. Wisconsin and Penn State disappointed with anything less." Michigan will race nine run- are also ranked in the top 20. The tri-captain of the Michigan ners at Big Tens, with the top-five ButMichiganishtngrytoreclaim women's cross country team will finishers counting for scores in the the Big Ten crown. Edwards, in her compete in one of the deepest fields meet. Winning the title will largely last conference effort, has a chance that the Big Ten has seen in years. depend on how closely the other to capitalize on the atmosphere and Seven Big Ten schools are ranked four Michigan runners can pace familiarity of the Ann Arbor hills in the top 30. At the top of the list themselves behind Edwards. beneath her feet. is No. 7 Minnesota, the team that "She's been the model of con- "I'mjust goingto make sure that broke Michigan's five-year Big Ten sistency," Michigan coach Mike I run my very best, as hard as I can, Championship reign last season. McGuire said. "We think she'll so that when I cross the line, no Winning the championship on impact the very front of the race. matter what the result is, I'll know the hills of the U-M Golf Course ... If we can gap within a minute of that there is nothing more I could won't be easy for the decorated a person that can vie for the title have done." runner. But Edwards, who holds Michigan mile and distance med- ley relay records, has been usingW c n 3 the home-course advantage in her mental preparations for the meet.h R c t "I like to think about the race Recent Grad BMogs beforehand and sort of go over itin Find out from U-M grads my mind and picture myself being ~ tough when it hurts," Edwards how to survive said. "I picture myself hanging on to someone and not dropping your first off when I'm tired. It's especially - -5 job ALUMNI ASSOCIATION helpful to know the course so well - iO , UoIVEesiT IF MICHseAN because I can see it in my mind." 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