NORTHVILLE, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn men's cross country team started the 2019 season strong, with an excellent showing at the 33rd Annual Detroit Mercy Titan Invitational Saturday at Cass Benton Park in Northville, Mich.
The Wolverines finished third as a team, topping No. 22 Madonna University in the team standings. The Wolverines narrowly missed second place with 71 points, as NCAA Division I foe Detroit Mercy finished with 69. Wayne State University won the team title with a score of 21.
Last year's Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year Ryan Exell led UM-Dearborn with a ninth-place finish. He crossed the line with a time of 21:22.1 in the 4-mile race. Sophomore Josh Mussen was 16th with a time of 21:41.3, while fellow sophomore Jarrett St. John was 17th in 21:52.6.
Sophomore Demetrius Johnson closed strong on the final hill, passing several runners, including from Madonna, to push the Wolverines to their third-place finish. Johnson crossed the line in 18th with a time of 21:54.6. Josh Williams was 24th in 22:18.4, also narrowly crossing the line in front of a Madonna runner.
Andy Kohn and Christopher Silva finished the race in 27th and 28th, respectively, for UM-Dearborn.
The Wolverines return to action at the Rumble in the Fort, hosted by WHAC school Purdue-Fort Wayne on Friday in Fort Wayne, Ind.
