Michigan State University Athletics
Running Through the Change
4/26/2021 12:12:00 PM | Cross Country, Track and Field
The world has been going through a lot of changes over the past year, and the challenges of dealing with COVID-19 and the unexpected also impacted the Michigan State Cross Country and Track & Field programs.
The biggest change hit closest to home: longtime Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Walt Drenth decided to retire in the fall, leaving the programs in the hands of his former athlete-now-coach.
Lisa (Senakiewich) Breznau, a former two-time All-America Spartan distance runner, was chosen to carry on Drenth's legacy as the Interim Director of Track & Field/Cross Country for the 2020-21 season.Â
Things have not changed much program-wise, as Breznau sees current group continuing the Drenth's philosophy. This stability is also making Michigan State as one of the top track/cross country programs in the Big Ten and a national factor.Â
The Spartan women have won five Big Ten Championships and the NCAA title in 2014, under Drenth.
"It's great that we have such a strong culture on both sides," Breznau said. "This group is on the same page and they're choosing to be a team."
Under Breznau, the women's team finished fourth at the NCAA Cross Country championship, and 40th in the NCAA Indoor Championship. The Spartan men are coming off one of the best seasons since 2006, as finishing 17th in cross country and 31st in the indoor championships.
Assistant Distance Coach Aaron Simoneau, a 2012 MSU graduate, said the culture the teams have developed is heavily reflected on the recruiting process.
"We've recruited people that wanted to come to Michigan State for the right reasons," Simoneau said. "To get a world-class education and to explore what it's like being a highly competitive distance runner and what that looks like at the Big Ten level."
Max Benoit, a former MSU All-America and current Graduate Assistant, said the staff has focused on getting their athletes to trust the process. It is challenging to mix school and high-level athletic training and competition.
"Getting athletes to buy into that philosophy that we've established is key to this program," Benoit said. "Distance running is an incredibly unique sport where individual success is especially important to the overall success of the team. You need everyone to run for each other to do well individually."
COVID-19 canceled the 2020 fall cross-country season, but didn't stop the training for MSU. Simoneau said both teams have done an exceptional job of putting in extra efforts and rising to the bar that was set as a new standard.
"Our expectations and what we ask these guys to give up this fall just far exceeds anything that would ever be expected of them," Simoneau said. "Because of COVID-19, it's obviously been a lot different, and they have had to give up a lot more, but I think it makes it all worth it when we're able to compete and able to have success."
After the cross-country season was cancelled in the fall, the teams continued to practice and train in pods, based on event groups. As COVID testing occurred more regularly, the teams returned to separate women and men's team training to minimize the pandemic's spread.
"I love seeing people smile at practice, they're happy and grateful to be doing this," Breznau said. "We're seeing more resilience, on a daily basis. They are getting better given the challenges of this year."
MSU Cross Country and Track & Field programs have claimed their spots as a powerhouse in the Big Ten and hope to continue for the next decade and beyond. Simoneau said there wasn't a specific light switch moment in the program that made them successful, it's always been there.
"The writing has been kind of on the wall for a while since we've had some talented athletes on the team," Simoneau said. "I think it's just a collection of people who have bought into the idea of what we're kind of trying to do here and who bought into our philosophy. They dove into it training wise and what we're trying to achieve. They've made the commitment to work and give their all over a long period of time."
Benoit, who graduated from MSU in 2018, said that it's rewarding to see the current group continuing the work that his teammates and alumni put in and finding success in it.Â
"Once you're part of this team you're always part of the team," Benoit said. "It's kind of one big family of athletes. It's just really exciting to see that they're solid and having fun with their achievements."
Â
The biggest change hit closest to home: longtime Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Walt Drenth decided to retire in the fall, leaving the programs in the hands of his former athlete-now-coach.
Lisa (Senakiewich) Breznau, a former two-time All-America Spartan distance runner, was chosen to carry on Drenth's legacy as the Interim Director of Track & Field/Cross Country for the 2020-21 season.Â
Things have not changed much program-wise, as Breznau sees current group continuing the Drenth's philosophy. This stability is also making Michigan State as one of the top track/cross country programs in the Big Ten and a national factor.Â
The Spartan women have won five Big Ten Championships and the NCAA title in 2014, under Drenth.
"It's great that we have such a strong culture on both sides," Breznau said. "This group is on the same page and they're choosing to be a team."
Under Breznau, the women's team finished fourth at the NCAA Cross Country championship, and 40th in the NCAA Indoor Championship. The Spartan men are coming off one of the best seasons since 2006, as finishing 17th in cross country and 31st in the indoor championships.
Assistant Distance Coach Aaron Simoneau, a 2012 MSU graduate, said the culture the teams have developed is heavily reflected on the recruiting process.
"We've recruited people that wanted to come to Michigan State for the right reasons," Simoneau said. "To get a world-class education and to explore what it's like being a highly competitive distance runner and what that looks like at the Big Ten level."
Max Benoit, a former MSU All-America and current Graduate Assistant, said the staff has focused on getting their athletes to trust the process. It is challenging to mix school and high-level athletic training and competition.
"Getting athletes to buy into that philosophy that we've established is key to this program," Benoit said. "Distance running is an incredibly unique sport where individual success is especially important to the overall success of the team. You need everyone to run for each other to do well individually."
COVID-19 canceled the 2020 fall cross-country season, but didn't stop the training for MSU. Simoneau said both teams have done an exceptional job of putting in extra efforts and rising to the bar that was set as a new standard.
"Our expectations and what we ask these guys to give up this fall just far exceeds anything that would ever be expected of them," Simoneau said. "Because of COVID-19, it's obviously been a lot different, and they have had to give up a lot more, but I think it makes it all worth it when we're able to compete and able to have success."
After the cross-country season was cancelled in the fall, the teams continued to practice and train in pods, based on event groups. As COVID testing occurred more regularly, the teams returned to separate women and men's team training to minimize the pandemic's spread.
"I love seeing people smile at practice, they're happy and grateful to be doing this," Breznau said. "We're seeing more resilience, on a daily basis. They are getting better given the challenges of this year."
MSU Cross Country and Track & Field programs have claimed their spots as a powerhouse in the Big Ten and hope to continue for the next decade and beyond. Simoneau said there wasn't a specific light switch moment in the program that made them successful, it's always been there.
"The writing has been kind of on the wall for a while since we've had some talented athletes on the team," Simoneau said. "I think it's just a collection of people who have bought into the idea of what we're kind of trying to do here and who bought into our philosophy. They dove into it training wise and what we're trying to achieve. They've made the commitment to work and give their all over a long period of time."
Benoit, who graduated from MSU in 2018, said that it's rewarding to see the current group continuing the work that his teammates and alumni put in and finding success in it.Â
"Once you're part of this team you're always part of the team," Benoit said. "It's kind of one big family of athletes. It's just really exciting to see that they're solid and having fun with their achievements."
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
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