Over the next several weeks, the University of Detroit Mercy Department of Athletics will be releasing its All-Decade Teams of the 2010s. For a full schedule of the teams set to be released, click here.
DETROIT (4/20/2020) -- The University of Detroit Mercy Department of Athletics is unveiling its All-Decade Teams of the 2010s, compiling the best student-athletes across the past 10 seasons (2010-19) into a First and Second Team in each intercollegiate sport. Next up is a sport that captured back-to-back Horizon League championships and had several individual standouts during the decade in men's cross country.
The Titans won two-straight Horizon League championships in 2013 and 2014, the first two men's cross country titles in school history. Ben Kendell was a four-time First Team All-Horizon League runner during the decade, including winning the 2018 individual Horizon League championship with the fastest run in more than 15 seasons at the league meet. Kendell then finished runner-up at the 2018 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship, becoming the first Titan male harrier to qualify for and compete at the NCAA Championships in cross country.
Detroit Mercy had 17 runners earn All-League honors during the decade, with 10 of those earning First Team All-League accolades. Four Titans were multiple All-League recipients in Martin Nelkie (2012-13), Derek Gielarowski (2013-14), Ben Kendell (2014-16, 2018) and
James McCann (2018-19).
The Titans won their first men's cross country championship in 2013 as five runners finished in the top-11 in the race to record 33 points as a team, 39 points better than second-place Youngstown State. Three Titans finished in the top-seven to earn First Team All-League honors -- Nelkie (third), Ryan Hofsess (fourth) and George Holman (seventh). Austin Wigent followed in eighth place and Gielarowski was 11th for the Titans in a dominating championship effort.
A season later in 2014, the Titans did it again, edging Milwaukee by two points (57-59) for the Horizon League championship. The squad did it with several different runners than the season prior as Colin Creagh placed second, Kendell followed in fifth place during his freshman season and Ryan Leahy crossed in 13th place. Gielarowski and Wigent both scored for the second-straight seasons to help the Titans to a championship as Gielarowski was 14th just behind Leahy and Wigent placed 23rd, also finishing ahead of Milwaukee's fifth runner.
Head coach Guy Murray was named Horizon League Coach of the Year in both seasons the Titans won the championship, while Kendell was the Horizon League Freshman of the Year in 2014 and the Horizon League Athlete of the Year as a senior in 2018. Kendell became the fifth Horizon League men's cross country runner to earn four First Team All-League accolades during his career and second Titan (Chris McPhee, 1998-01).
Kendell placed first or second at the Horizon League meet in three seasons and during his senior campaign, won four times and placed inside the top-five in six races during the season for the Titans. Kendell ran an 8K time of 24:19.3 at the league meet -- the fastest in 16 seasons. Kendell then nearly won the 2018 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship with a 10K time of 31:11, earning a runner-up finish. He was the first Titan men's cross country runner to compete at the NCAA Championships, breaking the 10K school record with a time of 30:35.0, placing 95th in the nation.
Detroit Mercy Men's Cross Country All-Decade Team of 2010s
First Team
Colin Creagh (2011-15, First Team All-League -- 2014)
Derek Gielarowski (2012-15)
Ryan Hofsess (2012-15, First Team All-League -- 2013)
Ben Kendell (2014-18, HL Freshman of the Year -- 2014, HL Athlete of the Year -- 2018, Four-time First Team All-League)
Pat Liederbach (2007-10, First Team All-League -- 2010)
James McCann (2016-19, First Team All-League -- 2018)
Martin Nelkie (2010-13, First Team All-League -- 2013)
Second Team
Sam Felton (2010-13)
Edwin Gay (2009-12)
George Holman (2011-14, First Team All-League -- 2013)
Dakota Hundley (2018-19)
Ryan Leahy (2013-16)
Bob Radlich (2008-12)
Austin Wigent (2012-16)
Take a full look at our other All-Decade Teams:
April 13 --
Women's Soccer
April 15 --
Men's Soccer
