University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Wisconsin adidas Invitational
Berkholtz Leads Gophers to 15th Place at Wisconsin
10/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Championship Results 
| Open Results
MADISON, Wis. - The top four Gophers posted career-best times led by redshirt junior Liz Berkholtz in 20:34 for 38th overall as the No. 26 Golden Gopher women's cross country team finished 15th at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational Friday.
Behind Berkholtz, who led the Gophers for the first time since the season-opening intrasquad meet, fellow redshirt juniors Becca Dyson and Kaila Urick also clocked career-best times. Dyson was 61st overall in 20:47 and Urick was close behind in 21:02 for 81st place on a cool, windy day at Thomas Zimmer Cross Country Course.
"I'm very, very proud of our top three," head coach Sarah Hopkins said. "At Griak, that group was a little bit flustered. They really showed up today and did what they are capable of doing, which is leading the group."
Redshirt freshman Danielle Anderson also ran her career-best 6K time, posting a time of 21:24 for 118th place as the fourth Gopher. Haley Johnson (184th in 21:55), Jamie Piepenburg, (196th in 22:02) and Kate Bucknam (231st in 22:29) completed Minnesota's top seven as the Gophers finished 15th in the team standings.
"The goal was to be top 15 and we got 15th, so you can't be too bummed about that," Hopkins said. "I feel similar to how I felt after the Griak. I think we missed an opportunity in a few places, but I also think that with those missed opportunities, to pull out 15th place was still really good. That's cross country. That's the sport."
Minnesota finished with 462 points in 15th overall. No. 2 Michigan State won the team title with 87 points, followed by No. 5 Arkansas (191), No. 8 Iowa State (212), No. 15 Wisconsin (227) and No. 20 West Virginia (245) to complete the top five.
The Cyclones' Crystal Nelson took the individual title in 19:35 to lead the field of 265 finishers. Rachele Schulist of Michigan State (19:39) and Shelby Houlihan of Arizona State (19:41) rounded out the top three individuals.
Nine Gophers also ran in the open race at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational, led by freshman Bailey Ness in 22nd overall in a career-best 21:40. Redshirt sophomore Taylor Mikkalson was the second Gopher in 22:15 for 50th place overall.
Along with Ness, Madeline Strandemo (22:19), Stacey Swatek (22:38) and Megan Bailey (23:18) all clocked career-best times in the open race.
"As I've said earlier in the season, we're young," Hopkins said. "We're going to have some meets that go great and some that don't go quite how we want them to go, but we'll learn. I thought this was a solid meet, but we learned a lot from it. That's the most important thing this time of the year when we're still two, four and six weeks out from meets that are more important.
"It's hard to be on your A-game for six weeks. I'd rather be a little off here and be better two weeks from now and four weeks from now than be at our best right now and be holding on at the end. That's the goal right now."
The Gophers who did not race at today's Wisconsin adidas Invitational travel to Ettrick, Wis., for the 2014 Tori Neubauer Invitational Saturday morning. The annual 6K race is run in honor of former UW-La Crosse All-American and national champion Tori Neubauer and is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. at Ettrick Golf Club.
Gopher Results: Championship Race
38. Liz Berkholtz, 20:34
61. Becca Dyson, 20:47
81. Kaila Urick, 21:02
118. Danielle Anderson, 21:24
184. Haley Johnson, 21:55
196. Jamie Piepenburg, 22:02
231. Kate Bucknam, 22:29
Gopher Results: Open Race
22. Bailey Ness, 21:40
50. Taylor Mikkalson, 22:15
57. Madeline Strandemo, 22:19
70. Stacey Swatek, 22:33
78. Chelsea Pettit, 22:55
85. Rebecca Rethwisch, 23:05
95. Megan Bailey, 23:18
101. Andie Zeman, 23:33
105. Anne Ferguson, 23:49
###
Players Mentioned
