With a mix of veteran leadership, fresh talent, and a new head coach, Michigan Tech’s cross-country teams have had an impressive regular season, rising through the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and making waves on the national stage. Head Coach Robert Young, in an August interview with the Michigan Tech Huskies YouTube page, shared, “I’m really excited for where we are starting the season and the foundation we have.” He praised both returning scorers and incoming talent as looking strong, healthy, and “pretty darn hungry.”
At the season opener, the Phoenix Open, the men claimed victory. Junior transfer from Lansing Community College Michel Dennis led the team, finishing sixth and earning GLIAC Athlete of the Week. Tucker Ringhand and Sam Lange followed closely, helping the Huskies post an impressive 15-second spread among their top five runners. The women’s team, led by sophomore Sophia Rhein’s fourth-place finish, started strong with a fifth-place team result.
Senior Sam Lange delivered another standout performance at the Roy Griak Invitational, leading the men to a second-place finish while placing eighth individually, earning another GLIAC Athlete of the Week honor. Freshmen Coleman Lenci, Zebedee Swager, and Brady Ketzenberger rounded out the top seven with a 49-second spread. On the women’s side, Rhein finished sixth, helping her team secure seventh place, ahead of GLIAC rivals Northern Michigan. Senior captain Cedar Gordon and freshman Erica Kazin also contributed strong performances.
At the Lewis Crossover Invitational, Michigan Tech faced national competition. The men finished seventh, led by Lange in 25th and Ringhand in 27th, with Lange earning his third GLIAC Athlete of the Week honor. This finish propelled the Huskies to second in the GLIAC, third in the Midwest, and 23rd nationally. The women placed 19th, led by Rhein’s 35th-place finish.
Ahead for the team are the GLIAC Championships on Oct. 26, the NCAA DII Midwest Regional Championships on Nov. 9, and the NCAA DII Championships in Sacramento, CA on Nov. 23. Coach Young anticipates a fast race at GLIAC, describing the course as flat and quick, while the Midwest Regional at Lewis will mirror the conditions seen at the Crossover Invitational. Senior Sam Lange summed up the team’s goal: “We’ve been executing race plans well and beating who we need to beat to set ourselves up for qualifying for nationals,” with a top-15 finish at Nationals firmly in sight for the men.
