University of Minnesota Athletics
Roy Griak Invitational: Division I Preview
9/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
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After one of the tightest team battles in the history of the Roy Griak Invitational last year, fans won't want to miss this year's Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition.
The 2014 running of the Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition saw the top four teams finish within 11 points -- each program boasting one top-10 individual finisher.
And in an exciting turn of events, all four teams are back on the Les Bolstad Golf Course this Saturday as we celebrate the 30th annual Roy Griak Invitational.
2014 Big 12 runner-up Southern Utah captured the Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition team title for the first time last season with 142 points, and even without defending Roy Griak Invitational individual champion Nate Jewkes (graduated), they'll be among the favorites this weekend as one of six teams in the field to be featured in the opening U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division I poll -- three teams are ranked, three are receiving votes including Minnesota and Southern Utah.
And while the Thunderbirds are a candidate to become just the third different program to repeat as Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition champion, they aren't the odds on favorite according to the rankings.
That goes to No. 24 Colorado State who finished second in the team standings last year -- just four points behind Southern Utah.
The Rams bring back two of their scorers from a year ago, both of whom are among the top returners to the race. Sophomore Jerrell Mock finished seventh for Colorado State as a freshman in 2014 while junior Jefferson Abbey came in 15th during his sophomore campaign as the No. 2 finisher for the Rams.
Minnesota, meanwhile, was just seven points off the pace of Southern Utah last year and returns four of their five scorers.
Redshirt senior captains Aaron Bartnik and Adam Zutz set the tone for the Gophers last year at the Roy Griak Invitational and will look to do so again in their final appearance at the meet.
A First Team All-Big Ten honoree, Bartnik came in eighth last year while Zutz finished 21st.
The Gophers also bring back sophomore Obsa Ali (40th last year), and redshirt sophomore Charlie Lawrence (46th last year) while Minnesota's third redshirt senior captain, Christian Skaret, will aim to round of the team's scoring after finishing 52nd last year.
No. 28 Michigan State rounded out the top four in last year's Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition and will also be among the favorites at the 30th running of the Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday.
The individual results for this year's Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition will also be interesting as we look to crown a new champion.
The top-two finishers from last year (Southern Utah's Nate Jewkes and Texas' Craig Lutz) are gone to graduation while the 2014 third-place finisher, Caleb Rhynard of Michigan State, is not slated to run for the Spartans on Saturday.
That puts California senior Chris Walden as the to returner for this year's Roy Griak Invitational after finishing fourth last year with a time of 24:49.7.
Walden and the Golden Bears finished 15th one year ago at Les Bolstad Golf Course and enter the week ranked No. 29 in the USTFCCCA Division I rankings.
In fact, only three of last year's top-10 finishers are slated to run on Saturday with Colorado State's Mock (seventh) and Minnesota's Bartnik (eighth) joining Walden as the top returners this year.
In all, 15 teams from last year's Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition at the Roy Griak Invitational will return to the field at Les Bolstad Golf Course on Saturday for the 30th annual meet as we honor legendary University of Minnesota coach Roy Griak.
With almost 300 runners registered for this race alone, fans won't want to miss any of the action on such a special and emotional day at the Roy Griak Invitational.
2014 Team Results
1. Southern Utah 1-14-27-45-55--142
2. Colorado State 7-15-24-44-56--146
3. Minnesota 8-21-34-44-56--149
4. Michigan State 3-25-36-39-51--153
5. Iowa State 5-26-30-42-59--162
*31 teams competed
2014 Top Individuals
1. Nate Jewkes (Southern Utah) 24:45.4
2. Craig Lutz (Texas) 24:47.4
3. Caleb Rhynard (Michigan State) 24:48.5
4. Chris Walden (California) 24:49.7
5. Martin Coolidge (Iowa State) 24:55.0
6. Jannis Topfer (Illinois) 24:56.2
7. Jerrell Mock (Colorado St.) 24:59.6
8. Aaron Bartnik (Minnesota) 25:07.0
9. David Elliot (Boise State) 25:09.9
10. Mark Pinales (Texas) 25:13.5
Players Mentioned
