University of Detroit Mercy Athletics

DETROIT (10/27/2020) -- Graduate student and men's cross country and track and field student-athlete Brendan McClanahan (Temperance, Mich. / Bedford) is entering his final season of collegiate running, all while finishing up his engineering degree at the University as well as navigating through a pandemic.

McClanahan scored points at both the Indoor and Outdoor Horizon League Championships during his freshman campaign for the University of Detroit Mercy running on the second-place 4x400 relay team and helping the Titans in sixth in the Distance Medley Relay. He was sixth in 800-meter run during the outdoor meet also helped the 4x400 relay squad to fifth at the championships. McClanahan is looking to finish strong as a student-athlete whenever competition resumes for the Titans.

With the absence of the fall sports season in the Horizon League, DetroitTitans.com caught up with McClanahan:

Why did you choose Detroit Mercy?
BM: I came to Detroit Mercy based upon the reputation of their engineering program. I like the small class size concept, it's definitely a useful resource to actually sit down and ask questions directly to your professor instead of trying to schedule something with a TA at a bigger university. It makes a big difference in your understanding and education and I feel like I've honestly been ahead of the curve as an engineering student out in the world, interacting with other students from other universities and in my co-op programs that I've been through, working for companies. I'm really, really happy with my overall education and experience.

What are some of your career highlights as a runner?
BM: My career here has been pretty rough athletically, because I've had a lot of stress to deal with engineering. I've also fought a lot of injuries. Some of my best performances were during my freshman year. I had some PR's (Personal Record) in the 800 meters, which is my event for some relay splits and had some pretty good team performances there. We finished second place in indoor at Horizon Leagues for the 4x400 with the team that year, got to be part of that team. Had a big PR performance indoor, running the 800 leg of the DMR. That was really exciting for me, as well as an outdoor performance that year, I got to run at the Colonial Relays and got another outdoor PR, that was a big performance as well. Finished sixth place officially at the Horizon League Outdoor Championships in the 800 (meter run). That was the biggest highlight of my career so far, unfortunately, I've been plagued with a lot of injuries and setbacks since then. I'm in my fifth year and still haven't quite reached that level and exceeded it yet, but I have big hopes still, if we have a season.

As for cross country, I'm proud to be part of the team. Although cross country isn't necessarily my thing as a middle-distance-focused person, but I'm happy to be part of the team.

Can you talk about managing your time as a student-athlete -- juggling engineering, injuries and being a runner. Did you expect it coming in?
BM: I didn't expect to struggle as much as I have. But, in hindsight, I'm very grateful for the lessons that I've learned. Time management and balancing priorities, planning, taking care of myself, all of these are all things are things that you've got to get right in order to excel as a student-athlete, especially when you are in a rigorous and accelerated engineering program, which is what UDM offers.
I'm in the five-year Master's program, so it's not easy. That challenge, I'm really grateful for it because it is something that has allowed me to develop as a person and allowed 

What are you looking to do with your degree, what are your career aspirations?
BM: So, Detroit Mercy offers a unique experience. I've talked to different students from other universities and engineers who have graduated from other universities, who have never had the undergraduate experience that I've been able to have through Detroit Mercy. They offer a client-focused, senior design project and so we actually get to work directly with a client who has a physical disability or health problem and we get to invent a new device, working on multi-disciplinary teams and we get to invent a new device to help them specifically and potential patent it and help other people as well. It's an awesome program that UDM offers and that's probably been the highlight of my undergraduate program. Just the design experience that I've been able to get, I've really been able to develop my passion in design and creativity and I've realized that's the entrepreneurial focus that Detroit Mercy emphasizes is really important to me. It resonates with me and I've discovered that passion. I think that probably a creative design and entrepreneurial career is the path that I think I want to take after I graduate with my Master's degree, hopefully later this year.

I've still yet to lock down a job offer, I'm still keeping my options open. I'll probably apply during winter break here so that way I'll have a good offer hopefully waiting as I'm finishing up school. I got a lot of good connections through UDM's mandatory co-op experience, so I actually have some engineering experience under my belt. I've had four co-ops, it's been great honestly.

How hard has it to train during this pandemic?
BM: It's always disappointing to have uncertainty. Whether our training is going to actually develop us to be in a good point for a season or whether that season is going to be taken away. That uncertainty, it's hard to deal with, especially because it affects motivation and balancing priorities, we don't even know if we're going to have a season. I think we have to focus on why we are here at the University, to develop ourselves as student-athletes and stick with it and be committed to our cause on why we are here. I've definitely tried to do that, our team overall, a lot of our guys are in really good shape right now. I think we haven't had a cross country season yet, but things are on the up. It's good to at least be able to socially-distance train with the guys and stay focused on our mission of being here.

What do you like to do in your free time?
BM: Free time is pretty limited this semester, I'm in my Master's program now. In a couple of my classes, I'm the only full-time engineering student. I'm working with guys that are 30, 40, 50 years old. I'm the young guy in the group and that's something that's good for me because I get to be in the room with a lot of guys that are more experienced than me and I'm trying to be at their level. It's a challenge to try and understand things when you just don't have the engineering experience to really grasp that concept. As well as the Master's program is really project focused, you're always working on teams in your classes and on meaningful projects. So working around their schedules, they are working their 9-to-5's and here I am as a full-time student. I have to accommodate more to the broader group, all of these guys are employed right now and I'm the one who is a student-athlete. Working around their schedules, I really don't have much time for anything other than doing what I need to do to graduate and stay in shape and do the best I can do. I haven't had much time this semester.

In my free time, I do love running, I love designing and creating things. I'm very inventive and creative in that regard. I created this mask here that you see (wearing a Detroit Mercy mask with innovations). It's got an actual fan powered by lithium batteries, fully rechargeable, USBC, I 3-D print the enclosure. I'm interested in entrepreneurial and creative things, I'm selling them on Etsy. That's one thing that I've been doing in my free time, trying to make up for some financial losses during COVID. I lost some work this summer and this summer was the only opportunity and time I had to work, so doing the best I can there. I'm invested in the stock market, I like to do some trading there, it's kind of a hobby and interest of mine. I like to play some sports in my free time, casually, whenever I have time, there's a group that meets for playing some recreational volleyball and I'll play a game or two there with some friends.

How difficult has it been to come together as a team with the newcomers along with the returners?
BM: It hasn't been too bad. Our team chemistry has been pretty solid. I feel like this pandemic has brought people together in a sense. We are all in this together. We look out for each other and I think that culture has been prevalent in our team and overall it's been a positive thing.