Oct. 3, 2009
Photo Gallery 
Site: Madison, Wis. (Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course)
Meet: Wisconsin adidas Invitational (5,000 meters)
U-M Finish: Fifth of 12 Teams (118 points)
Top U-M Individual: Kaitlyn Peale, 4th (17:12)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Oct. 16 -- at Penn State National (State College, Pa.), 11 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. -- In its first scored meet of the season, the University of Michigan women's cross country team claimed fifth place (118 points) at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational on Saturday (Oct. 3) at the Badgers' new Thomas Zimmerman Championship Cross Country Course. Junior/sophomore Kaitlyn Peale (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington HS) paced the Wolverine squad with her third top-10 finish of the season, claiming fourth place with a personal-best 17:11.3.
Four of Michigan's top-five runners established career-best times, including a trio of freshmen -- Kaitlyn Patterson (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac HS), Rebecca Addison (Spring Lake, Mich./Grand Haven HS) and Jillian Smith (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional HS) -- who crossed the finish line within a narrow 13-second window in 16th, 24th and 30th place, respectively. All three U-M rookies have placed among their team's top five in each completed appearance this season.
Senior Jenny Morgan (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) rounded out Michigan's scoring contingent in 50th place, clocking 18:06.6 in her first completed race of the 2009 season.
Maintaining the quick opening pace, the Wolverines stayed together through the mile marker. The field had already begun to string out about a kilometer earlier, and Peale took advantage, making her way from back in the pack to the lead group. She hung with the leaders as they separated from the field and settled into fourth place, maintaining her position down the stretch.
The Wolverines will return to competition on Friday, Oct. 16, at the Penn State National in State College, Pa. Hosted by the Nittany Lions, the women's 6,000-meter race is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start at the Blue-White Golf Course.
Team Standings
1. Duke 78
2. Syracuse 80
3. Illinois 95
4. BYU 97
5. MICHIGAN 118
6. Iowa 157
7. Arkansas 174
8. Nebraska 188
9. Auburn 256
10. Texas A&M 259
11. Wisconsin 291
12. Marquette 293
Top 10 Individuals
1. Cecily Lemmon, BYU 17:00.3
2. Angela Bizzarri, Illinois 17:03.2
3. Carly Seymour, Duke 17:08.3
4. Kaitlyn Peale, U-M 17:11.3
5. Hollie Knight, Auburn 17:18.0
6. Kristin Sutherland, Illinois 17:21.7
7. Katie Hursey, Syracuse 17:25.4
8. Katy Andrews, BYU 17:26.2
9. Caitlyn Comfort, Wisconsin 17:27.9
10. Brooke Eilers, Iowa 17:30.2
Other Michigan Individuals
16. Kaitlyn Patterson, U-M 17:35.6
24. Rebecca Addison, U-M 17:40.5
30. Jillian Smith, U-M 17:48.9
50. Jenny Morgan, U-M 18:06.6
73. Rachel Severin, U-M 18:25.2
82. Lindsey Hilton, U-M 18:43.4
85. Mary Grace Pellegrini, U-M 18:50.4
90. Kourtney Moody, U-M 18:55.4
98. Melany Mioduszewski, U-M 19:04.9
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Mike McGuire
On the team's performance ... "It was a good, solid race. Kaitlyn [Peale] ran a tremendous race, certainly the best of her career to this point. I think it was a good breakthrough for her. It was also a great race from [Kaitlyn] Patterson, and I though Becca Addison and Jillian Smith have continued to show great improvement from race to race. The pace was quick early on, and we showed poise and competitiveness moving through the pack. Kaitlyn did an especially good job working through the crowd."
On the immediate success of the freshmen ... "Kaitlyn Patterson has been really solid. I'm pleasantly surprised by it, but at the same time, she finished her high school career with a big PR and a good summer. Jillian [Smith] and [Becca] Addison are continuing to get better. They both raced late into the track season, so they aren't coming off the same type of base. I really like what I'm seeing from them."
On Michigan's fourth-place finish ... "This was a much higher level today. The quality of the depth in the field was considerably better. I like how they responded to it; I though they rose up to the quality of competition."
U-M Junior/Sophomore Kaitlyn Peale
On her race ... "We took it out pretty comfortably while several others went out a bit hard, so I just stayed in good position. I moved up around 2K; it broke up pretty soon after that. I moved when the leaders began to separate, went with them. It felt really comfortable."
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
