University of Minnesota Athletics
Griak Invitational Women's Gold Race Preview
9/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Defending Griak champion Michigan State, ranked 15th in the current coaches poll, finished 11th at the '01 NCAA meet and 12th in '02. All-Americans Michelle Carson and Jamie Kryzminski lead all seven Spartans back from last year's NCAA squad. This fall, the Spartans dominated the fields at the Saginaw Valley Open and the Spartan Invite in preparation to defend their Griak crown.
Fifth-ranked Providence returns four from their sixth-place squad at last year's NCAA championships and gained two impact runners from New Zealand to aid them in their quest for a trophy at the NCAA championships. The Friars, the 1995 NCAA champions, have won this meet three times in the past (most recently in 1998) and Coach Ray Treacy would like to take home a fourth championship trophy. All-American Mary Cullen (28th) blossomed last year to twice break 16:00 and garner 4th in the NCAA outdoor 5k. Deirdre Byrne, Lisa Cappello, and Roisin Quinn also return from last year's NCAA squad. Kimberly Smith and Fiona Crombie, a pair of New Zealand imports, should immediately help the Friars; Smith ran 9:09.96 and 15:47.92 this past spring. PC dominated the Providence Invite and the BC Select meet this fall.
The sixth-rated Wake Forest Demon Deacons were one of the break-through teams of the '02 season, winning ACCs and the SE regional before finishing 9th on an off day at NCAAs. All-American Anne Bersagel should lead a deep Wake Forest squad that includes Anna Sherman, Jill Miller, Nikeya Green, as well as newcomer Michelle Sikes, a Foot Locker finalist last fall. The Griak Invite will be the seasonal debut for most of the top members of the Deacon squad.
The Columbia Lions, currently ranked No. 12, won their first ever Heps title in 2002 before winning the regional title and claiming 11th at the NCAA meet. Columbia adds Duke transfer Caroline Bierbaum (34th), Cal champ Laura Meyers, and top Foot Locker regional performers Genevieve Chavez and Susannah Shaw to the strong quintet of Loretta Kilmer, Trish Nolan, Caitlin Hickin, Melissa Stellato, and Lisa Stublic.
The No. 13 Michigan Wolverines finished 15th at the NCAA champs. In addition to returning Rebecca Walter (51st), Lindsey Gallo (108th), Andrea Parker (159th), and Chelsea Loomis (16:37/35:48), Michigan gained Dartmouth graduate transfer Jessie Allen-Young (140th, '01). Allen-Young led the Wolverines to an easy win at the Miami Invite.
Seventeenth-ranked Missouri won the midwest regional before finishing 16th in Terre Haute. Sophomores Amanda Bales and Valerie Lauver return to lead the Tigers. While they have yet to run their full squad together, Mizzou notched wins at their home meet and the Bradley Open.
The No. 20 Arizona State Sun Devils finished 23rd in both '01 and '03 and return six from last year's NCAA squad. Amy Hastings will lead Arizona State this fall just as she led the US Junior Team at last spring's World XC Champs.
The Indiana Hoosiers (#21) stepped up in 2002 to claim 14th at the NCAA meet. Mindy Peterson and Audrey Giesler should lead Indiana.
The Penn State Nittany Lions (#22) finished 25th at the NCAA meet. Team leaders Tracey Brauksieck (96th) and Molly Landreth (134th) both were steeple finalists at last spring's NCAA Track Championships. Landreth led her teammates to a sweep of the top 8 places at the Spiked Shoe Invite.
Boston College (#23) was hampered by injuries and illness in 2002 and had the distinction of being the best team in the country not to qualify for the NCAA meet. With 2001 USA Junior champ Maria Cicero (16th '01, 18th '02) recovering from a mid-summer stress fracture and not expected to race until late October, Jennifer Kramer and steeple All-American Jennifer Donovan (9th NCAA s/c) will lead the squad. The Eagles finished second to Providence at the BC Select meet.
The Colorado State Rams (#25) claimed 20th at the '01 NCAA meet, but failed to advance to NCAAs last year. Crystal Clark is leading the Rams this fall, as CSU scored wins at the Wyoming and Lobo Invitationals.
The Marquette Golden Eagles (#26) graduated their top three from last year's 18th-place squad, but returns standout Brianna Dahm from redshirt. Newcomer Heidi Lindemen won the Bradley Invite to lead Marquette to second behind Missouri.
The Baylor Bears (#30) finished 4th at regionals last fall and will be led by Erin Dixon and US Junior steeple champ Angela Marvin. The Bears won the North Texas Invite.
Still in a quest for a first-ever team appearance at the NCAA championships, Toledo fell just short in 2002. Washington State transfer Everlyne Lagat (30th in '01) is leading the Rockets this fall. Toledo dominated the non-scoring Toledo Invite.
Although the host Minnesota Golden Gophers missed qualifying for the NCAA championships last fall, they return almost their entire squad. Unfortunately for Coach Gary Wilson that exception is '02 NCAA individual qualifier Darja Vasiljeva (87th) who will be sidelined this season with an October surgery for her left hamstring. In her absence, Minnesota opened with easy wins over the fields at the Intrasquad and Oz Memorial. Redshirt freshman Emily Brown is leading the team with wins at their first two meets.
INDIVIDUALS: 2003 Roy Griak Invitational champion Michelle Carson (Michigan State) returns to defend her title, but will face several tough challengers in her quest to become the first individual to win back-to-back Gold races since Nebraska's Fran ten Bensel did it 1991-92. Carson went on to claim All-American honors at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute by finishing 27th. Carson's teammate Jamie Kryzminski, 6th at the '02 Griak, had a breakthrough season outdoors, where her 32:52.87 10,000m earned her fifth at NCAAs.
Wartburg's Missy Buttry won the Maroon race last year by 33-seconds on her way to an exceptional year that saw the Iowa native win four NCAA individual titles in cross country, indoor, and outdoor track and third at the USA Fall Cross Country Championships. Buttry recorded a swift 15:37.48 5000 at the prestigious Mt SAC Relays in April, then finished 9th at the USATF outdoor championships in June with a 15:45.92.
Providence College's 1-2 punch of Mary Cullen and Kimberly Smith will also be challenging for the individual win. Cullen, 28th last fall at NCAAs, finished fifth outdoors in the 5000 and recorded bests of 9:09.13 and 15:56.96. Newcomer Smith recorded track bests of 9:09.96 and 15:47.92 last spring.
Wake Forest's Anne Bersagel finished 25th at NCAAs last fall, then claimed seventh in the 10,000m at the NCAA outdoor meet with a best of 33:23.52.
Missouri's Amanda Bales and Valerie Lauver are usually inseparable on the cross country trails, finishing 53rd and 54th respectively at last fall's NCAA meet.
Arizona State's Jessica Scalzo claimed fourth at Griak last fall, while teammate AMY HASTINGS led Team USA's junior team at the World Cross Country Championships with a 20th-place effort.
Toledo's Everlyne Lagat finished 30th at the '01 NCAA harrier meet and has track bests of 9:25.90 and 16:15.17.
Article written by Mike Scott (Rhode Island Media Relations) This year's Roy Griak Women's Gold Race field features 13 Division I teams ranked among the top 30 teams in the most recent FinishLynx/NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country National Poll and 11 teams that qualified for last fall's NCAA Championships. Although Griak defending champion Michigan State returns all seven from last year's team, the Spartans will face stiff competition from top-10 ranked challengers Providence and Wake Forest as well as a plethora of other excellent programs.
Defending Griak champion Michigan State, ranked 15th in the current coaches poll, finished 11th at the '01 NCAA meet and 12th in '02. All-Americans Michelle Carson and Jamie Kryzminski lead all seven Spartans back from last year's NCAA squad. This fall, the Spartans dominated the fields at the Saginaw Valley Open and the Spartan Invite in preparation to defend their Griak crown.
Fifth-ranked Providence returns four from their sixth-place squad at last year's NCAA championships and gained two impact runners from New Zealand to aid them in their quest for a trophy at the NCAA championships. The Friars, the 1995 NCAA champions, have won this meet three times in the past (most recently in 1998) and Coach Ray Treacy would like to take home a fourth championship trophy. All-American Mary Cullen (28th) blossomed last year to twice break 16:00 and garner 4th in the NCAA outdoor 5k. Deirdre Byrne, Lisa Cappello, and Roisin Quinn also return from last year's NCAA squad. Kimberly Smith and Fiona Crombie, a pair of New Zealand imports, should immediately help the Friars; Smith ran 9:09.96 and 15:47.92 this past spring. PC dominated the Providence Invite and the BC Select meet this fall.
The sixth-rated Wake Forest Demon Deacons were one of the break-through teams of the '02 season, winning ACCs and the SE regional before finishing 9th on an off day at NCAAs. All-American Anne Bersagel should lead a deep Wake Forest squad that includes Anna Sherman, Jill Miller, Nikeya Green, as well as newcomer Michelle Sikes, a Foot Locker finalist last fall. The Griak Invite will be the seasonal debut for most of the top members of the Deacon squad.
The Columbia Lions, currently ranked No. 12, won their first ever Heps title in 2002 before winning the regional title and claiming 11th at the NCAA meet. Columbia adds Duke transfer Caroline Bierbaum (34th), Cal champ Laura Meyers, and top Foot Locker regional performers Genevieve Chavez and Susannah Shaw to the strong quintet of Loretta Kilmer, Trish Nolan, Caitlin Hickin, Melissa Stellato, and Lisa Stublic.
The No. 13 Michigan Wolverines finished 15th at the NCAA champs. In addition to returning Rebecca Walter (51st), Lindsey Gallo (108th), Andrea Parker (159th), and Chelsea Loomis (16:37/35:48), Michigan gained Dartmouth graduate transfer Jessie Allen-Young (140th, '01). Allen-Young led the Wolverines to an easy win at the Miami Invite.
Seventeenth-ranked Missouri won the midwest regional before finishing 16th in Terre Haute. Sophomores Amanda Bales and Valerie Lauver return to lead the Tigers. While they have yet to run their full squad together, Mizzou notched wins at their home meet and the Bradley Open.
The No. 20 Arizona State Sun Devils finished 23rd in both '01 and '03 and return six from last year's NCAA squad. Amy Hastings will lead Arizona State this fall just as she led the US Junior Team at last spring's World XC Champs.
The Indiana Hoosiers (#21) stepped up in 2002 to claim 14th at the NCAA meet. Mindy Peterson and Audrey Giesler should lead Indiana.
The Penn State Nittany Lions (#22) finished 25th at the NCAA meet. Team leaders Tracey Brauksieck (96th) and Molly Landreth (134th) both were steeple finalists at last spring's NCAA Track Championships. Landreth led her teammates to a sweep of the top 8 places at the Spiked Shoe Invite.
Boston College (#23) was hampered by injuries and illness in 2002 and had the distinction of being the best team in the country not to qualify for the NCAA meet. With 2001 USA Junior champ Maria Cicero (16th '01, 18th '02) recovering from a mid-summer stress fracture and not expected to race until late October, Jennifer Kramer and steeple All-American Jennifer Donovan (9th NCAA s/c) will lead the squad. The Eagles finished second to Providence at the BC Select meet.
The Colorado State Rams (#25) claimed 20th at the '01 NCAA meet, but failed to advance to NCAAs last year. Crystal Clark is leading the Rams this fall, as CSU scored wins at the Wyoming and Lobo Invitationals.
The Marquette Golden Eagles (#26) graduated their top three from last year's 18th-place squad, but returns standout Brianna Dahm from redshirt. Newcomer Heidi Lindemen won the Bradley Invite to lead Marquette to second behind Missouri.
The Baylor Bears (#30) finished 4th at regionals last fall and will be led by Erin Dixon and US Junior steeple champ Angela Marvin. The Bears won the North Texas Invite.
Still in a quest for a first-ever team appearance at the NCAA championships, Toledo fell just short in 2002. Washington State transfer Everlyne Lagat (30th in '01) is leading the Rockets this fall. Toledo dominated the non-scoring Toledo Invite.
Although the host Minnesota Golden Gophers missed qualifying for the NCAA championships last fall, they return almost their entire squad. Unfortunately for Coach Gary Wilson that exception is '02 NCAA individual qualifier Darja Vasiljeva (87th) who will be sidelined this season with an October surgery for her left hamstring. In her absence, Minnesota opened with easy wins over the fields at the Intrasquad and Oz Memorial. Redshirt freshman Emily Brown is leading the team with wins at their first two meets.
INDIVIDUALS: 2003 Roy Griak Invitational champion Michelle Carson (Michigan State) returns to defend her title, but will face several tough challengers in her quest to become the first individual to win back-to-back Gold races since Nebraska's Fran ten Bensel did it 1991-92. Carson went on to claim All-American honors at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute by finishing 27th. Carson's teammate Jamie Kryzminski, 6th at the '02 Griak, had a breakthrough season outdoors, where her 32:52.87 10,000m earned her fifth at NCAAs.
Wartburg's Missy Buttry won the Maroon race last year by 33-seconds on her way to an exceptional year that saw the Iowa native win four NCAA individual titles in cross country, indoor, and outdoor track and third at the USA Fall Cross Country Championships. Buttry recorded a swift 15:37.48 5000 at the prestigious Mt SAC Relays in April, then finished 9th at the USATF outdoor championships in June with a 15:45.92.
Providence College's 1-2 punch of Mary Cullen and Kimberly Smith will also be challenging for the individual win. Cullen, 28th last fall at NCAAs, finished fifth outdoors in the 5000 and recorded bests of 9:09.13 and 15:56.96. Newcomer Smith recorded track bests of 9:09.96 and 15:47.92 last spring.
Wake Forest's Anne Bersagel finished 25th at NCAAs last fall, then claimed seventh in the 10,000m at the NCAA outdoor meet with a best of 33:23.52.
Missouri's Amanda Bales and Valerie Lauver are usually inseparable on the cross country trails, finishing 53rd and 54th respectively at last fall's NCAA meet.
Arizona State's Jessica Scalzo claimed fourth at Griak last fall, while teammate AMY HASTINGS led Team USA's junior team at the World Cross Country Championships with a 20th-place effort.
Toledo's Everlyne Lagat finished 30th at the '01 NCAA harrier meet and has track bests of 9:25.90 and 16:15.17.
Article written by Mike Scott (Rhode Island Media Relations)
Players Mentioned
