GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Ryan Exell paced the University of Michigan-Dearborn men's cross country team to a fifth-place finish Saturday in the Calvin Knight Invitational, a Collegiate 8K race that was the season-opener for the Wolverines.
Exell, a senior from Plymouth Salem, finished eighth among those running for collegiate teams in the field that included unattached runners. His time was 25:33.4.
Senior Josh Mussen (Livonia Churchill) was 21st in 26:04.4, while senior Andrew Kohn (Dearborn Divine Child) finished 27th in 26:35.0.
Wolverines head coach Joe Horka had four promising freshmen complete the team's scoring.
Jorden Sowash, Owosso High (41st, 27.02); Adam Foreman, Marshall High (60th, 28:02.9); Brendan Buckner, Southgate Anderson (68th, 28:25.4) and Michael Rivera, Wayne Memorial (69th, 28:33.7) rounded out the points finishers in their first collegiate competition.
Grand Valley State won the team title, while Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference rival Cornerstone finished third.
It was the first of five invitationals UM-Dearborn is scheduled for leading up to the WHAC championships Nov. 6 in Fort Wayne, Ind.