University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Face Tough Challenge in Madison on Friday
10/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Oct. 11, 2011
The No. 17 University of Minnesota men's cross country team will travel to Wisconsin this weekend for a pair of races. On Friday, 11 men will be competing in Madison, Wis., at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational. This is a new meet to the Gophers, as in years past they would be racing at the Pre-NCAA Meet. The 8k race, which will be taking place at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course, will be set up into two different divisions, a championship race and a "B" race. The championship race is set to begin at 1:40 p.m. and the "B" race will run at 3 p.m.
On Saturday a few men will be racing at the Jim Drews Invitational. The three runners will be running an 8k race, which will take place at the Maple Grove Country Club, in West Salem, Wis. Over 20 teams from divisions I, II and III will be in attendance. The gun is set to go off at 10:30 a.m. central time.
He is Running at….
Wisconsin adidas Invitational Roster
Travis Burkstrand
Pieter Gagnon
Paul Hilsen *
Andrew Larsen
Hassan Mead
Bob Nicolls
Sean Olson *
Marcus Paulson
Steve Sulkin *
Erik Truedson
Matt Volz *
*Running in the "B" Race
Tori Neubauer Invitational Roster
Blayne Dulian
Kevin Lachowitzer
Derek Storkel
Gophers in the Polls
The men's cross country team has been moving up in the national USTFCCCA poll. Currently the Gophers are ranked No. 17 and were preseason ranked No. 27. Minnesota still stands at No. 3 in the Midwest Regional poll behind Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
What the Gophers have done so far in 2011…
- Minnesota won the Hornet Jamboree on Sept. 10.
- Pieter Gagnon earned Big Ten Runner of the Week honors after his first place finish at the Hornet Jamboree.
- Minnesota placed third at the 2011 Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 24
- Hassan Mead earned Big Ten Runner of the Week honors after his third place finish at the Griak.
- The Gophers have moved up ten spots since the preseason polls were released. Minnesota is now No. 17 in the country.
Looking Forward
Minnesota will take the next weekend off before heading to the 2011 Big Ten Championship on Sunday, October 30 at the University of Illinois Arboretum. The Gophers are fired up for this year's championships, as last year they finished third overall and will be looking to move up a few spots.
Players Mentioned
