DETROIT (8/27/2025) -- Two weeks of training will be in the books, and now the season begins as the University of Detroit Mercy men's cross country team will start the year at Oakland on Friday.
The women's 5k is set for an 11:45 a.m. start, with the men to follow at 12:15 p.m. at the Oakland Cross Country course.
Detroit Mercy will have 14 runners back from last season's seventh-place finish at the Horizon League Championship. All-Horizon League and the winner of the HL indoor mile leads the team in senior
Joshua Otten, while a strong sophomore and junior class, and a newcomer will look to get the Titans back to the top half of the standings.
The optimism is high for the guys," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country
Guy Murray '89. "We have a good mix of veterans and youth, a good sophomore and junior class that continues to improve, and we are coming off a good summer training."
Otten is one of the top returners in the Horizon League, having picked up HL Second Team accolades last season. He finished 11th in 24:43 at the league meet, setting a career-best time and ranking in the top 10 in school history. He then recorded a time of 31:44 for 105th place at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship, the 10th-best time in school history. Overall, he topped the team in all six races, with a pair of top-10 finishes and four top-20 efforts.
"Joshua came here still learning how to run after running just one year in high school, but he has the miles now, and he gives us a frontrunner on the men's team," said coach Murray. "He is such a competitor, and he is realizing now how good a distance runner he can be."
Three other graduate seniors are back who have contributed in their years in
Nicholas Fringer,
Connor Joyce, and
Kenny Lashaway. Lashaway battled some injuries to finish 86th at the Horizon League Championship, and Fringer took nearly two minutes of his time at the league meet.
The junior class also has some runners who have put in the time.
Christopher Russelburg has run in all 12 events in his first two years, just missing the top 30, placing 31st at the conference championship in 25:55 last season.
Elijah Jorgensen and
Kenyon Popiel have run in 11 of the Titans' 12 races, while
Sebastian Cervelli,
Jaxson Stephen, and
Tyler Vandierdonck all will look to overcome some injuries.
"Chris has developed a lot since high school and is now a veteran who can really help us with everything he has learned in his two years," said coach Murray. "I think he figured things out last year, so that will help us. Kenyon is another competitor who has a lot of miles in his two years."
UDM's sophomore class hit the course hard last season as
Ryan Belanger,
Caleb Wynn, and
Nicholas Yaquinto ran in every race as a rookie, while
Zach Rubicz competed in five.
Belanger was the second Titan to cross the finish line at the HL meet, placing 29th in a season-best 25:48. His 8k times were all within 14 seconds of each other last season, and he was also the second Titan on the squad in all six races. Wynn kept lowering his 8k time and was at his best in the postseason with a career-low 26:31 for 62nd at the HL Championships, while Yaquinto showed steady improvement in cross country and track.
"The sophomore class is going to be a big key," said coach Murray. "Ryan never ran cross country in high school, just track, so as he develops and gains more confidence, he is just going to improve. Caleb came through last year at the Horizon League Championship as our fifth man, and Nick really improved from cross country to track, so those are three pieces we have that are young and growing."
One freshman is on the roster in
Colin Murray, and after a standout prep career, he is looking to bolster the front of the line-up.
"He is definitely a freshman who should make an impact on our roster. He was ranked in the top 10 in the state, so he will help us immediately," added Murray.
