DETROIT (8/1/2024) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's track and field and cross country programs added some talent and depth to its roster with 18 Titans joining UDM this fall.

The Titans will have 17 true freshmen and one transfer, while six of the 18 will compete on the cross country team.

"This is our largest incoming class," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Guy Murray '89. "The class will fill in many holes from our last two graduating classes. Last season, we were between generations and this year, the rookies will play a big part."
 

Carlo Antonni * Mid-Distance/XC * Houston, Tex. * Cypress ranch

• Earned letters in cross country and track and field
• Was Academic All-State as a senior
• Ran club with Cypress Ranch Track and Cross Country Club
• His mother ran in the Summer Olympics for Colombia in 1988 and 1992 and Spain in 200 as a sprinter in the 100m, 200m, 400m and on relays

• Lettered in football and track and field
• Took 11th in the indoor 60-meters at the state finals as a senior
• Ranked 46th in the 60m as a senior
• Ran club with the Michigan Accelerators and the Michigan Racers and was part of the 11th place 4x200-meter relay

Larry Beasley * Hurdles * Flint, Mich. * Carman-Ainsworth

• Lettered for two years in track and field
• Earned the Most Improved Award as a junior and MVP as a senior
• A Michigan D1 regional medalist in the 300-meter hurdles as a senior

Ryan Belanger * Distance/XC * Canton, Mich. * Plymouth

• Earned letters in hockey, tennis and track
• Was the Wildcat Team award winner
• Claimed eighth in the two-mile at the conference championship and third at the regionals as a senior
• A 2024 Michigan D1 3,200-meter state qualifier finishing 20th

• Lettered in basketball, football and track and field
• Helped his team win three-straight conference titles in track
• The Michigan UP 110-meter hurdle champion as he was undefeated in the event as a senior
• Claimed third in the 300-meter hurdles in the Michigan UP as a senior and second in both events as a junior
• Holds the school record in the 110mH
   

• A four-year letterwinner in football and track and field
• Was All-City as a junior
• A Michigan D2 state qualifier in 110 and 300-meter hurdles as a senior, finishing 12th and 25th, respectively
• Helped his team win a MITCA championship by two points, scoring third in the 110mH and sixth in the 300mH
• Also a part of the shuttle hurdle relay that was 23rd at the 2024 New Balance Nationals
• Was a D2 state qualifier in the 110mH, finishing 15th as a junior

Andrew Drakos * Hurdles * Lake Orion, Mich. * Lake Orion

• A varsity letterwinner in basketball and track and field
• Was a Scholar-Athlete all four years
• Tabbed Hurdler of the Year three times
• A 2023 Michigan D1 300-meter hurdle regional and Oakland County medalist
• Ran club with Michigan Elite Performance and was a two-time All-American

​Jack Gonzalez * Jumps * Northville, Mich. * Northville

• A two-year letterwinner in track and field
• A DI state qualifier as a senior and second in Wayne Country
• Named All-Conference and All-Region as a junior and senior in the long jump
• Placed 12th at the indoor state meet in 2024
• Ran club with Six Mile Track Club

Brady McGee * Throws * Essexville, Mich. * Garber

• A four-year letterwinner in track and field
• Was the Bay County discus champion as a sophomore, junior and senior and the shot put champion as a junior and senior
• All-State in the discus as a senior placing sixth as well as a D2 state qualifier earning 10th as a junior
• Holds the discus school record

Zach Rubicz * Distance/XC * Chesterfield, Mich. * Anchor Bay

• A four-year letterwinner in cross country and track and field
• A member of the All-State Academic Team as a junior and senior
• Tabbed Second Team All-Macomb County three times
• A state qualifier in cross country as a senior
• A two-time indoor state individual qualifier/MITS as a sophomore and senior as well as a New Balance National DMR qualifier as a junior
• Ran club with 16 Ways Track Club

Blake Shaya * Sprints * Bloomfield Hills, Mich. * Brother Rice

• Earned letters in cross country and track and field
• Named the MVP as a senior and the Scholar-Athlete as a sophomore
• Ran club with Prime Time Performance
• A 2024 Michigan D1 regional medalist in the 4x100-meter relay

Luke Sprague * Mid-Distance/XC * Battle Creek, Mich. * St. Philip

• A varsity letterwinner in baseball, cross country and track and field
• A three-time MVP in track and cross country
• Helped his team set a school record in the 4x400 at the league championships
• A Michigan D4 bronze medal winner in the 4x800-meter relay and medalist in the 4x400 as a senior
• Also a state qualifier in the 800-meters finishing 13th
• A 2023 Michigan D4 regional champion in the 4x800 and runner-up in the 4x400

Quinten Tirado * Sprints/Hurdles * Holland, Mich. * West Ottawa

• Lettered in basketball, football, soccer and track and field
• Was All-Region and All-Conference in track as a sophomore and junior
• Tabbed All-Area as a junior
• Helped the school set the 4x400 relay record
• A 2023 Michigan D1 4x400-meter relay regional champion and was 11th at the state finals
• Ran a leg at the 2023 New Balance Nationals 4x400, taking 41st
• Part of the Gr Fire and Shore Track Club and helped Shore set 4x400 and 4x300 relay records

Tyler Vandierdonck * Mid-Distance/XC * Chesterfield, Mich. * L'anse Creuse North (Aquinas)

• A transfer from Aquinas College, where he ran track and cross country as a freshman last season
• Ran in three collegiate cross country meets and was 24th at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge and 26th at the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships
• In track, he was ninth in the WHAC Indoor 1,000-meters, while scoring taking fifth in the 1,500m and a leg on the runner-up 4x800
• As a prep, he lettered in cross country and track and field and earned the Academic Excellence award all four years
• He was the track MVP as a sophomore and a state qualifier in the 800m as a senior

James Wallace * Sprints * New Baltimore, Mich. * De La Salle

• A varsity letterwinner in football and track
• Named the Sprinter of the Year and MVP for track as a senior
• Tabbed All-Catholic twice
• Earned tjird in the 100-meters and second on the 4x100-meter relay at the DI state championship
• A regional champion in the 100m and 200m as well as the 4x100
• A 2023 Michigan D1 100m state qualifier
• Ran club with Str8 Smokin Track Club and was an All-American in the 4x400

Trevor Watts * Hurdles/Jumps * Kalamazoo, Mich. * Loy Norrix 

• Earned letters in volleyball and track and field
• Named team MVP as a junior and senior
• Claimed third in the 300-meter hurdles and seventh in the state finals in the 110-mh as a senior
• Ranked 10th in the nation in the 400-mH and 14th in the 110mH in 2023
• Competed in the state and junior Olympics in 2023
• Ran club with Blazers Track Club

Caleb Wynn * Distance/XC * Allen Park, Mich. * Allen Park

• Recorded varsity letters in cross country and track and field
• All-Academic in both sports all four years
• In cross country, he was the league champion in eighth grade and All-League as a freshman, sophomore and junior
• Tabbed All-area junior and senior year (2022, 2023) and was a two-time state finalist
• Helped his team to back-to-back league and All-Area championships as a junior and senior as well as the school's first-ever state championship appearance
• Holds the school 5k record and was fifth in the region as a senior
• In track, he won the 3,200-meters as a senior and ran a leg on the first place 4x800 as a junior, helping his team to a title

Nicholas Yaquinto * Distance/XC * Northville, Mich. * Northville

• Lettered in cross country and track and field
• A D1 regional scorer in the 800-meters as a senior
• Ran a leg on the 10th place 4x800-meter relay at the 2024 New Balance National
• Helped his cross country team to a state title as a freshman and senior, taking 68th as a senior and 122nd as a rookie