University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
SDSU Classic
Dyson, Gophers Win SDSU Classic 5K
10/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
BROOKINGS, S.D. - No. 26 Minnesota claimed the top three individual places and finished first in the team standings at the SDSU Classic 5K Saturday morning. Becca Dyson, Kaila Urick and Liz Berkholtz led a field of 109 runners at Edgebrook Golf Course in Brookings, S.D.
"I think we all ran really solid," head coach Sarah Hopkins said. "A nice thing we did today was run in packs. We had our top three together and then another couple groups. It was nice to see three good groups really using each other's energy and building through the race. I think that will serve us well going forward."
Dyson was the Gophers' top finisher for the second time this season after also leading the Maroon & Gold at the BYU Autumn Classic where she finished as the overall runner-up. The SDSU Classic individual title marked Dyson's first collegiate victory as she won the meet in a career-best 17:32.90.
"Becca had a nice little bounce-back from Griak," Hopkins said. "I wasn't concerned that she wouldn't bounce back, but it was good for her and her confidence. It's always good to come back and put a little exclamation point on it when you have a race that you're less than thrilled with. She took advantage of a flat, fast course today and did a good job with it."
Urick and Berkholtz also improved on their career-best 5K times. Urick clocked a 17:40.37 for second overall with Berkholtz on her heels in 17:40.87 for third. Along with securing the top three places, the Gophers earned eight of the top 11 places to repeat as SDSU Classic team champions for the 10th-straight year.
Redshirt freshman Danielle Anderson (17:51.84) and redshirt sophomore Haley Johnson (18:13.71) finished sixth and seventh overall to round out the scoring finishes for the Gophers. Freshman Bailey Ness was eighth, right behind Johnson, in 18:14.54.
Redshirt junior Kate Bucknam (18:17.40) and redshirt sophomore Jamie Piepenburg (18:29.78) were 10th and 11th overall, leading another pack of Gophers as Taylor Mikkalson (16th, 18:44.06), Stacey Swatek (17th, 18:46.85), Megan Bailey (18th, 18:47.92) and Madeline Strandemo (22nd, 18:53.81) also worked well together.
"Kate Bucknam led the second group and really made sure they got moving," Hopkins said. "Johnson and Ness ended up pulling away a little over the last quarter-mile. That next group of Stacey Swatek, Megan Bailey and Taylor Mikkalson worked really well together, too. It was nice to see."
Behind the Gophers, South Dakota (54), host South Dakota State (92), North Dakota (107) and North Dakota State (148) made up the top five teams at the nine-team meet.
The Gophers are off from racing next weekend but will split the squad at two meets Oct. 17-18, heading to Madison, Wis., to compete in the sixth annual Wisconsin adidas Invitational and racing at the annual Tori Neubauer Invitational in West Salem, Wis.
Gopher Results
1. Becca Dyson, 17:32.90
2. Kaila Urick, 17:40.37
3. Liz Berkholtz, 17:40.87
6. Danielle Anderson, 17:51.84
7. Haley Johnson, 18:13.71
8. Bailey Ness, 18:14.54
10. Kate Bucknam, 18:17.40
11. Jamie Piepenburg, 18:29.78
16. Taylor Mikkalson, 18:44.06
17. Stacey Swatek, 18:46.85
18. Megan Bailey, 18:47.92
22. Madeline Strandemo, 18:53.81
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Players Mentioned
