DETROIT, MI. (5/9/18) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's track and field team wrapped up the 2017-18 season earlier this month and reflected on the season at the team's annual awards ceremony following the Horizon League Championships.

For his outstanding effort throughout the season, senior Ben Kendell claimed the team's MVP award for both the indoor and outdoor seasons. 

Kendell capped an impressive season with a second place finish in the 10,000m and a fourth place finish in the 5,000m. He claimed third place in the 5,000m at the Bison Classic with a time of 14:15.14, which is also a new outdoor T&F record at Detroit Mercy. He set a school record in the 10,000-meters after claiming a time of 29:24.87 at the Stanford Invitational. That mark earned him #1 all-time at Detroit Mercy, and also earned him a qualifying spot in the NCAA Track and Field East Preliminaries. He also took second place in the 1500m at the Pacesetter Invitational with a mark of 3:57.52.

Junior Andrew Heitzhaus and senior Charlie Felton were named the Student-Athlete Award for the indoor and outdoor seasons, respectively. 

Heitzhaus, a junior from Buffalo, N.Y. claimed a seventh place finish in the decathlon at the Horizon League Outdoor Championships from May 4-6, including a first place finish in the 1,500m. Felton, a senior from St. Joseph, Mich. battled injury all season in order to return in time for the Outdoor Championships. At the Championships, he placed twenty fourth in the 1,500m and eighteenth in the 5,000m. 

Senior Zach Arnold and sophomore Adam Fraeyman received the Coach's Awards for the indoor and outdoor seasons. Arnold was a member of the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams that claimed points for the Titans last weekend, as well as earning points with a fourth place finish in the 400m. Fraeyman took eighth place in the 3,000m steeplechase on day two of the Horizon League Outdoor Championships. 

Sophomore James McCann and freshman Alan Nava took home the Most Improved Awards for the indoor and outdoor seasons, respectively. 

After winning MVP of the cross country season, McCann continued to steadily incline in his sophomore season. He took home an eighth place finish in the 5,000m at the Outdoor Championships, and a sixth place finish in the 3,000m at the Indoor Championships. Nava, a freshman from Melvindale, Mich. steadily improved throughout his freshman season, including a seventh place finish in the 800m at the Horizon League Outdoor Championships. 

Freshman duo Jacob Spiaser and Joseph Lietzow won the Rookie of the Year awards for the indoor and outdoor seasons. Spiaser set a school record in the pole vault at the Fort Wayne Duals with his mark of 4.10m (13' 5.25"). Lietzow put in a solid performance in the decathlon for the Titans, claiming sixth place to complete his freshman year for the red, white and blue.

A full list of the men's track and field award winners, along with varsity letters, can be found below: