Northville track star Herger turning heads in 1st year at Michigan
Northville native Brendan Herger, a freshman at the University of Michigan placed ninth in the NCAA’s 1,500-meter run and was named freshman of the year in the Big 10. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ATHLETICS
It didn’t take long for former Northville High School running star Brendan Herger to hit his stride at the University of Michigan.
Instead of following the oft-traveled path of using the first two years of collegiate track & field to learn the ropes before raking in accolades, the freshman Wolverine seemed to ask with every late-season race: Why wait?
A surprise to no one who followed his stellar track & field career at Northville High School, Herger placed ninth in the 1,500-meter run at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last month in Eugene, Oregon — the USA’s mecca for track & field — to earn Second Team All-American honors.
The lone freshman to qualify for the 1,500-meter final, Herger churned out a time of 3 minutes, 47.88 seconds, which was just 0.60 seconds behind winner Nathan Green of the University of Washington, and 0.15 seconds from a top-three finish.
A-maize-ing encore
Herger’s encore was pretty sweet as well.
On June 19-20 at Eugene’s iconic Hayward Field, Herger earned a gold medal in 1,500 at the USATF U20 Championships, winning with a time of 3:48.77.
Displaying a flair for the dramatic, Herger was in fourth place after the first two laps of the four-lap race before surging ahead of the three runners in front of him in the final lap to win by nearly two seconds.
Herger’s eye-opening accomplishments earned him the honor of Big Ten Outdoor Freshman of the Year — the first Wolverine to win the award since Nick Willis in 2003.
The future is bright
Herger also earned a much-coveted invitation to an Olympic Development program this month in Chula Vista, California, where he will be consulted by agents and Olympics coaches about what it will take to make the 2028 U.S. Olympic team.
He will also learn the ins and outs of how to potentially earn income through the NCAA’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) concept, which gives collegiate athletes an opportunity to control and profit from their personal brand.
“This entire experience has been so much fun,” said Herger, a few days after returning to Northville from Oregon. “The further I advanced, the more fun I had.
“After the 1,500 final, I had so many people call me and text me. My phone was blowing up.
“It feels good to know how many people are supporting me. It also motivates me to continue to work harder and do better.”
Lesson in perspective
Among the highlights Herger experienced in Eugene was meeting Sam Whitmarsh, who was the 800-meter champion at the NCAA finals last month.
In 2022, Whitmarsh was diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, a heart condition that had doctors encouraging the Texas A&M star to end his running career.
“Sam Whitmarsh’s story is one of perspective,” Herger said. “After his diagnosis, he was so grateful that he was able to continue running, he just goes out and has fun when he competes now. I think we can all learn a lesson from him.”
Herger, who also competes for the U of M cross country team, was a member of the school’s record-breaking 4 x 800-meter relay team, which covered the eight laps in 7:14.65.
The 800 was Herger’s go-to event in high school.
‘So much fun …’
“It was so much fun lining up to race against dudes I was watching on TV just a year ago,” Herger said. “A lot of the runners who made the 1,500 final were seniors, so to be competing against them as a freshman was crazy.
“I’m not sure how many people expected me to advance to the finals; I think I even surprised myself a little bit.”
Herger noted the swag he was presented with for advancing to the 1,500 final was impressive.
“They give you a package with a bunch of stuff like headphones, a charging cord, water bottles,” he said, smiling.
Little time to rest
Herger’s work ethic is reflected in his running plans this summer.
“I’m already building up miles for cross country season,” he said. “I plan on doing a lot of easy 10-mile runs. My speed is where it needs to be; I just need to get better aerobically. My goal is to get super-fit this summer.”
Herger is studying biology at U of M with a long-term goal of becoming a high school or college educator and coach.
What young athlete wouldn’t want to be coached by a man who has proven greatness can come quicker than expected if you put in the work and have fun doing it?
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
