University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Men Place Second at Griak Invitational
9/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
The Minnesota men’s cross country team landed Antonio Vega and Chris Rombough in the top 20 individuals pacing the Golden Gophers to a second-place finish at the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational, Saturday, at the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights. The Gophers’ runner-up finish is Minnesota’s best in the 21-year history of the event, bettering a third-place showing in 1997.
Arizona captured its first Griak Men’s Gold Race title with 142 team points, while Minnesota finished with 153.
“I was very pleased with our performance today,” said Golden Gopher head coach Steve Plasencia. “The field contained a lot of talented teams and to finish second, especially with such a young team, is a good sign of things to come.”
Vega covered the soggy, rain-soaked 8-kilometer course in a time of 24 minutes, 56 seconds to finish 13th overall, edging teammate Rombough (24:58) by two seconds. Vega is one of just two seniors on the Gopher roster. Rombough, a sophomore, led a string of underclassmen completing the scoring for the Gophers.
Redshirt freshman Matt Barrett was the third Gopher to finish, placing 25th overall in a time of 25:23, while true freshman Mike Torchia finished 53rd in a clocking of 25:51. Sophomore Ben Puhl capped the Gophers’ scoring five with a 60th-place finish in 25:54.
Liberty senior Josh McDougal captured medalist honors in a talented field loaded with All-Americans. McDougal ran a time of 24:15, to outlast Northern Arizona sophomore Lopez Lomong (24:19) and Aaron Aguayo (24:19). McDougal finished fourth at last year’s NCAA Championships.
Other Minnesota finishers were freshman Ben Kampf in 81st (26:06), junior Justin Grunewald in 107th (26:19), junior Rick Furseth in 108th (26:20), senior David VanOrsdel in 124th (26:26), sophomore Seijen Takamura in 134th (26:31) junior Todd Johnson in 140th (26:33), junior Eddie Kibira in 157th (26:43) and junior Michael VanBeusekom in 244th (27:49). A total of 34 teams and 301 runners competed in the Griak Men’s Gold Race.
The Gophers entered the Griak ranked No. 23 in the nation. Minnesota defeated two teams ranked higher in the polls - No. 10 Kansas and No. 20 Arizona State - in the team standings. No. 1 Wisconsin did not compete enough runners to tally a team score.
Arizona captured its first Griak Men’s Gold Race title with 142 team points, while Minnesota finished with 153.
“I was very pleased with our performance today,” said Golden Gopher head coach Steve Plasencia. “The field contained a lot of talented teams and to finish second, especially with such a young team, is a good sign of things to come.”
Vega covered the soggy, rain-soaked 8-kilometer course in a time of 24 minutes, 56 seconds to finish 13th overall, edging teammate Rombough (24:58) by two seconds. Vega is one of just two seniors on the Gopher roster. Rombough, a sophomore, led a string of underclassmen completing the scoring for the Gophers.
Redshirt freshman Matt Barrett was the third Gopher to finish, placing 25th overall in a time of 25:23, while true freshman Mike Torchia finished 53rd in a clocking of 25:51. Sophomore Ben Puhl capped the Gophers’ scoring five with a 60th-place finish in 25:54.
Liberty senior Josh McDougal captured medalist honors in a talented field loaded with All-Americans. McDougal ran a time of 24:15, to outlast Northern Arizona sophomore Lopez Lomong (24:19) and Aaron Aguayo (24:19). McDougal finished fourth at last year’s NCAA Championships.
Other Minnesota finishers were freshman Ben Kampf in 81st (26:06), junior Justin Grunewald in 107th (26:19), junior Rick Furseth in 108th (26:20), senior David VanOrsdel in 124th (26:26), sophomore Seijen Takamura in 134th (26:31) junior Todd Johnson in 140th (26:33), junior Eddie Kibira in 157th (26:43) and junior Michael VanBeusekom in 244th (27:49). A total of 34 teams and 301 runners competed in the Griak Men’s Gold Race.
The Gophers entered the Griak ranked No. 23 in the nation. Minnesota defeated two teams ranked higher in the polls - No. 10 Kansas and No. 20 Arizona State - in the team standings. No. 1 Wisconsin did not compete enough runners to tally a team score.
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