University of Minnesota Athletics
Weekend Rewind: Matt Welch
9/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) - Redshirt junior Matt Welch led the Maroon & Gold to a runner-up finish at the Oz Memorial last Friday as Welch placed fifth for his third career top-10 finish.
GopherSports.com caught up with him to talk about the season opener, the upcoming Griak Invitational and much more.
GopherSports.com: The Gophers kicked off the season last Friday with the Oz Memorial and you added another top-10 finish. How did the race go for you individually and did it feel good to kick the rust off the tires?
Matt Welch: I think it went pretty well not only for myself but also for the team. That was our first performance of the season, so we are shaking that rust off from the summer miles and the summer training. It's always a shock to the system, but it did go well. It went really well. We're looking forward to the rest of the season. I think it will be a good stepping stone for the rest of the season.
GS: It's kind of an interesting year for the Gophers. You bring back quite a few guys, but you also bring in a ton of newcomers. Considering losing guys like Aaron Bartnik and Adam Zutz…both All-Big Ten runners…is this an opportunity for someone like you to step up and fill that role?
MW: Yes, we lost three guys from our top five last year, so it's a great opportunity for everyone to step up. We don't have a lot of experience on our team, so we're looking forward to guys stepping up. And I think our older guys - me, Charlie, Eric, Wayde and Derek - it just opens the doors for us to step up and be leaders on the team.
GS: You have a little bit of a break from competition here until the Griak Invitational. What are you guys going to work on between now and Sept. 24?
MW: During these breaks - they're definitely not breaks for us - that's when we really up the mileage and the intensity. We really get after it with the goal set on the Griak or whatever race we have coming up.
GS: Anybody that knows you sees a definite look to you and your Twitter handle is actually @ProctorPre. You've got the mustache and the long hair…obviously there's a reason. Can you tell us about the inspiration?
MW: There was a great, great runner back in the day by the name of Steve PreFontaine. He had some incredible hair and an incredible mustache. As a runner, you have to respect a man with a great head of lettuce and a beautiful caterpillar mustache. I'm just trying to replicate something like that.
The Gophers return to action on Saturday, Sept. 24 with the 31st annual Roy Griak Invitational at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn. Tickets for the event can be purchased ahead of time through MyGopherSports.com or at the gate on race day.
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