The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/603303
OLYMPIC SPORTS 20 years that the two programs had some combination of one-two league finishes (1997, 1998, 2003, 2006, 2012 and 2015). However, the women's team was dissatisfied with its result because it had its heart set on winning the Big Ten crown. "We were a little disappointed," head coach Mike McGuire said. "We didn't quite fire on all our cylinders. But, we've had a good season. We've only lost to one team all year — un- fortunately that was at the Big Ten." Still, both the cross county teams are poised to compete for top-five finishes at the NCAA Champion- ships Nov. 21 in Louisville, Ky. A far greater disappointment oc- curred on the soccer field where both the men's and women's teams failed to earn an NCAA Tournament bid for the second straight year. FERLIC LEADS MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TO SUCCESS The Wolverines had three athletes claim all-conference honors, with fifth-year senior Mason Ferlic's sec- ond-place finish leading the way at the Big Ten Championships. Ferlic was the highest-finishing U-M runner since Nate Brannen also finished runner-up in 2003. "Mason is certainly a leader, both on and off the athletic field," Sullivan said. "He is a very vocal leader in the locker room, but he's also a guy who goes about his business and comes with a very professional approach on the athletic side of things. "He oozes confidence in whatever he does, and I think that's rubbed off on the rest of our team." Junior Ben Flanagan (eighth) and senior Tony Smoragiewicz (ninth) were right behind Ferlic, claiming second-team all-conference honors, while juniors Connor Mora (19th) and Nick Renberg (25th) rounded out the scoring for the Big Ten champions. "We had really great performances by both Ben and Tony," Sullivan said. "It was really nice to see Nick step up and be in a scoring position for the very first time. He's a guy who really came through when a couple of other guys maybe struggled a little bit on the day." As for the team's confidence going forward, it couldn't be much higher. "We've felt confident all year about where we're at as a team, and cer- Fifth-year senior Mason Ferlic placed sec- ond at the Big Ten Championships, helping lead U-M to its first men's cross country conference title in 17 years. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS