University of Minnesota Athletics
Megan Duwell Wins Griak Title
9/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Golden Gopher senior All-American Megan Duwell wrote her name in the Griak Invitational record books, winning the Jack Johnson Women’s Gold Race title in a time of 21 minutes, 0.37 seconds on Saturday. Duwell is the second Minnesota women’s runner to take Griak gold, joining Rasa (nee Michnoivaite) Troup who won the title in 1998.
Duwell broke free from the pack before the race’s 2-kilometer mark and went on to win by over 12 seconds over runner-up Lisa Koll (Iowa State). Duwell’s time is the fourth-best time in Minnesota history by a Gopher on their home 6-kilometer course at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights.
“It’s kind of a sentimental win,” said Duwell, when asked about winning the Griak in the last home race of her Minnesota career. “It was a good race with a lot of talent pushing me. The only thing that would have made this better would be if we had won as a team.”
Minnesota’s streak of Griak titles was ended at two by Iowa State, who landed five runners in the top 10 to tally 31 points and take home their first Griak crown. The Gophers finished second with 48 points, followed by Michigan State in third with 75 points.
The Gophers scored all five runners in the top 20. Nikki Swenson was the Gophers’ number-two runner finishing in eighth place in a time of 21:56.87. Elizabeth Yetzer finished 11th in 22:01.57 and started a string of five consecutive Minnesota finishes. Amy Laskowske was 12th in 22:03.27, followed by Kayla Wagner (13th, 22:07.32), Heather Dorniden (14th, 22:16.82) and Mallory Van Ness (15th, 22:20.42).
Jamie Cheever, the Gophers’ number-two runner at the Oz Memorial Run two weeks ago and a 2007 All-American, was slowed by illness and didn’t figure in the team score.
Iowa State swept both the men’s and women’s Gold Race titles at the Griak, which celebrated its 24th year. Other men’s/women’s team sweeps were Providence in 1998 and Wisconsin in 1997.
Minnesota swept both the individual titles as Hassan Mead won the Men’s Gold Race to join Duwell as Griak medalists. It is the second time in Griak history that both the men’s and women’s champions were from the same school (Sara Dupre/Ben Noad – Providence, 1997).
2009 Roy Griak Invitational
Jack Johnson Women’s Gold Race
Les Bolstad Golf Course – 6K
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009
Team Scores
1 Iowa State 2-3-7-9-10-(17)-(33) 31
2 Minnesota 1-8-12-13-14-(15)-(16) 48
3 Michigan State 4-5-18-20-28-(51)-(88) 75
4 Utah Valley 6-23-24-31-38-(50)-(63) 122
5 Washington State 19-25-40-46-47-(64)-(72) 177
* 17 teams competed
Top 10 Individual Finishers
1 Megan Duwell (Minnesota) 21:00.37
2 Lisa Koll (Iowa State) 21:12.62
3 Betsy Saina (Iowa State) 21:27.32
4 Emily MacLeod (Michigan State) 21:40.72
5 Carlie Green (Michigan State) 21:43.87
6 Mary Nothum (Utah Valley) 21:52.57
7 Alphine Tuliamuk (Iowa State) 21:55.72
8 Nikki Swenson (Minnesota) 21:56.87
9 Semhar Tesfaye (Iowa State) 21:57.62
10 Grace Kemmey (Iowa State) 21:58.07
Other Golden Gopher Finishes
12 Elizabeth Yetzer 22:01.57
13 Amy Laskowske 22:03.27
14 Kayla Wagner 22:07.32
15 Heather Dorniden 22:16.82
16 Mallory Van Ness 22:20.42
22 Stephanie Price 22:29.12
40 Claire Rindo 23:04.32
48 Kelly Wilson 23:18.52
59 Jamie Cheever 23:33.47
65 Jamie Dittmar 23:41.17
93 Kathryn Ritter 24:12.42
101 Mikaya Larson 24:20.77
117 Emma Miller 24:35.47
121 Becca Gusmer 24:39.67
124 Chelsey Dunkle 24:41.72
133 Kendall Cederstrom 24:52.57
140 Megan Smith 25:02.52
141 Tari Helmers 25:02.92
167 Celia Hemmerich 26:02.17
Duwell broke free from the pack before the race’s 2-kilometer mark and went on to win by over 12 seconds over runner-up Lisa Koll (Iowa State). Duwell’s time is the fourth-best time in Minnesota history by a Gopher on their home 6-kilometer course at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights.
“It’s kind of a sentimental win,” said Duwell, when asked about winning the Griak in the last home race of her Minnesota career. “It was a good race with a lot of talent pushing me. The only thing that would have made this better would be if we had won as a team.”
Minnesota’s streak of Griak titles was ended at two by Iowa State, who landed five runners in the top 10 to tally 31 points and take home their first Griak crown. The Gophers finished second with 48 points, followed by Michigan State in third with 75 points.
The Gophers scored all five runners in the top 20. Nikki Swenson was the Gophers’ number-two runner finishing in eighth place in a time of 21:56.87. Elizabeth Yetzer finished 11th in 22:01.57 and started a string of five consecutive Minnesota finishes. Amy Laskowske was 12th in 22:03.27, followed by Kayla Wagner (13th, 22:07.32), Heather Dorniden (14th, 22:16.82) and Mallory Van Ness (15th, 22:20.42).
Jamie Cheever, the Gophers’ number-two runner at the Oz Memorial Run two weeks ago and a 2007 All-American, was slowed by illness and didn’t figure in the team score.
Iowa State swept both the men’s and women’s Gold Race titles at the Griak, which celebrated its 24th year. Other men’s/women’s team sweeps were Providence in 1998 and Wisconsin in 1997.
Minnesota swept both the individual titles as Hassan Mead won the Men’s Gold Race to join Duwell as Griak medalists. It is the second time in Griak history that both the men’s and women’s champions were from the same school (Sara Dupre/Ben Noad – Providence, 1997).
2009 Roy Griak Invitational
Jack Johnson Women’s Gold Race
Les Bolstad Golf Course – 6K
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009
Team Scores
1 Iowa State 2-3-7-9-10-(17)-(33) 31
2 Minnesota 1-8-12-13-14-(15)-(16) 48
3 Michigan State 4-5-18-20-28-(51)-(88) 75
4 Utah Valley 6-23-24-31-38-(50)-(63) 122
5 Washington State 19-25-40-46-47-(64)-(72) 177
* 17 teams competed
Top 10 Individual Finishers
1 Megan Duwell (Minnesota) 21:00.37
2 Lisa Koll (Iowa State) 21:12.62
3 Betsy Saina (Iowa State) 21:27.32
4 Emily MacLeod (Michigan State) 21:40.72
5 Carlie Green (Michigan State) 21:43.87
6 Mary Nothum (Utah Valley) 21:52.57
7 Alphine Tuliamuk (Iowa State) 21:55.72
8 Nikki Swenson (Minnesota) 21:56.87
9 Semhar Tesfaye (Iowa State) 21:57.62
10 Grace Kemmey (Iowa State) 21:58.07
Other Golden Gopher Finishes
12 Elizabeth Yetzer 22:01.57
13 Amy Laskowske 22:03.27
14 Kayla Wagner 22:07.32
15 Heather Dorniden 22:16.82
16 Mallory Van Ness 22:20.42
22 Stephanie Price 22:29.12
40 Claire Rindo 23:04.32
48 Kelly Wilson 23:18.52
59 Jamie Cheever 23:33.47
65 Jamie Dittmar 23:41.17
93 Kathryn Ritter 24:12.42
101 Mikaya Larson 24:20.77
117 Emma Miller 24:35.47
121 Becca Gusmer 24:39.67
124 Chelsey Dunkle 24:41.72
133 Kendall Cederstrom 24:52.57
140 Megan Smith 25:02.52
141 Tari Helmers 25:02.92
167 Celia Hemmerich 26:02.17
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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