University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Set for Fall Finale
11/6/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) -- The University of Minnesota men's cross country team returns to action this Friday at the SJU Fall Finale on Friday, Nov. 7. St. John's hosts the eight-kilometer race near Collegeville, Minn. The men's race is set for 4:45 p.m. CT.
Expected to compete for the Gophers are Eric Colvin, Matt Jergenson, Cole O'Brien, Matt Welch and Derek Wiebke while six other schools are scheduled to run in the event -- SJU, Bethel, Gustavus Adolphus, Hamline, Martin Luther, Minnesota-Morris and North Dakota.
Success at the Fall Finale
Heading into the weekend, the Gophers have celebrated back-to-back individual champions at the Fall Finale as Aaron Bartnik won the 2013 running of the event (24:43) while Blayne Dulian came in first in 2012 (25:01).
Dulian Named B1G Sportsmanship Award Winner
Minnesota senior captain Blayne Dulian was named the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree earlier this week, the league announced on Wednesday.
Dulian has ran in four meets for the Gophers this season including an 11th-place finish at the UC Riverside Invitational to open the year. The Coon Rapids, Minn., native set a new personal record at the meet with a time of 24:25.9 as the Gophers combined to win the team title at the event.
Bartnik Earns First Team All-Big Ten Honors
Junior Aaron Bartnik was named First Team All-Big Ten after finishing seventh at the 2014 Big Ten Cross Country Championship with a new personal record of 23:52.6. Minnesota's first First Team All-Big Ten honoree since 2010, Bartnik has led the Gophers in each of the four races he has competed in this year.
Minnesota finished seventh at the 100th running of the conference meet with 160 points. Obsa Ali (26th, 24:15.5) and Adam Zutz (33rd, 24:23.1) also set personal records at the meet while Christian Skaret (43rd, 24:33.3) and Blayne Dulian (54th, 24:53.8) rounded out the team's scoring.
Up Next - NCAA Midwest Regional
The Gophers return to action on Nov. 14 at the NCAA Midwest Regional. Butler hosts the regional at the Newman Golf Course in Peoria, Ill.
Rewind - 2013 Fall Finale
Then a sophomore, Aaron Bartnik won his college debut at the 2013 Fall Finale while the Gophers had the top six times at the event.
Bartnik clocked a 24:43 to take top honors at the meet while Brad Woodford came in third at 25:11 and Cole O'Brien finished fourth at 25:24. Wayde Hall also finished sixth at 25:57.
