University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, September 28
Les Bolstad Golf Course
9:30 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
Roy Griak Invitational
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
Gophers Set for 34th Annual Griak Invitational
9/25/2019 5:45:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
Minnesota hosts the Roy Griak Invitational at Les Bolstad Golf Course this Saturday.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota cross country program hosts the 34th annual Roy Griak Invitational this Saturday at Les Bolstad Golf Course. One of the largest meets in the country, the Griak includes four collegiate races and four high school races.
About the Roy Griak Invitational
The Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold (Division I) Race kicks off the 34th annual Roy Griak Invitational at 9:30 a.m. CT Saturday with the Jack Johnson Women's Gold (Division I) Race set to follow at 10:20 a.m. CT. The meet is named in honor of legendary coach Roy Griak, who served as the head coach of the Minnesota men's cross country team from 1963-1996 and led the Gophers to three Big Ten titles (two cross country, one track & field). Following his coaching career, Griak remained on staff as an administrative assistant, and 2014 marked his 51st year of service to the University of Minnesota before his passing on July 9, 2015.
2019 Griak Hall of Fame Class
The 2019 Roy Griak Invitational Hall of Fame class of Matthew Berens (Bethel University), Mike Jay, and Father Jim Kirby (West Des Moines Dowling Catholic High School/Simpson College). The University of Minnesota and Gopher Athletics are proud to celebrate these three individuals, who have made immeasurable contributions to one of the nation's top cross country meets, during Saturday's competition.
Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold (Division I) Race Preview
The Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Division I competition features 14 teams in 2019 including three of the top four programs from one of the tightest team races a year ago. Duke, the defending team champion in 2018, also brings back the top returner in Paul Dellinger, who finished eighth last year to lead the Blue Devils. Minnesota lists the next top returner in team captain Evan Ferlic, who finished 10th a year ago. South Dakota State also returns to the field in 2019 after placing fourth in the Division I competition a year ago.
Jack Johnson Women's Gold (Division I) Race Preview
The 2019 edition of the Jack Johnson Women's Gold Division I competition features 15 teams. Six teams return from the 2018 competition, including team champion Minnesota and team runner-up Cal Baptist. In total six of the top 11 teams from last year's race are back at Les Bolstad Course this year. On the individual side, four of the top five finishers from a year ago return in defending champion Bethany Hasz (Minnesota), 2018 runner-up Megan Hasz (Minnesota), Kelby Anderson (North Dakota State), and Anett Somogyi (Cal Baptist).
Suzy Wilson Women's Maroon Race (Division II & Division III) Race Preview
The 2019 Suzy Wilson Women's Maroon Race includes 37 total teams, including NCAA Division II, Division III, and club teams. Defending Women's Maroon II champion Kayla Wooten of UC-Colorado Springs returns in 2019 along with last year's third-place finisher Ida Narbuvoll from the University of Mary. The top five teams from last year's Maroon II race return in defending champion University of Mary, Augustana (S.D.), UC-Colorado Springs, Michigan Tech, and Northern Michigan. On the Division III side, the top team returning from last year's competition is 2018 runner-up St. Thomas (Minn.), led by Martha Hubell, who finished fifth a year ago.
Jo Rider Men's Maroon Race (Division II & Division III) Race Preview
The 2019 Jo Rider Men's Maroon Race will feature 29 NCAA Division II, Division III and club teams including last year's winners in both the Division II (Augustana) and Division III (UW-Oshkosh) races. Both programs made history in 2018 as Augustana picked up its third-straight Division II crown while UW-Oshkosh won its fourth-straight Division III championship. Meanwhile, Mason Phillips of Sioux Falls will look to make a little history of his own as he attempts to become the first man to win three Griak Invitational collegiate races in his career, regardless of division, in 2019 after repeating as Division II champion in 2017 and 2018.
Up Next
The Gophers are back in action next week with the women splitting the squad at the Joe Piane Notre Dame invitational and the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational on Friday, Oct. 4 and the Gopher men set to race at the Paul Short Run on Saturday, Oct. 5.
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About the Roy Griak Invitational
The Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold (Division I) Race kicks off the 34th annual Roy Griak Invitational at 9:30 a.m. CT Saturday with the Jack Johnson Women's Gold (Division I) Race set to follow at 10:20 a.m. CT. The meet is named in honor of legendary coach Roy Griak, who served as the head coach of the Minnesota men's cross country team from 1963-1996 and led the Gophers to three Big Ten titles (two cross country, one track & field). Following his coaching career, Griak remained on staff as an administrative assistant, and 2014 marked his 51st year of service to the University of Minnesota before his passing on July 9, 2015.
2019 Griak Hall of Fame Class
The 2019 Roy Griak Invitational Hall of Fame class of Matthew Berens (Bethel University), Mike Jay, and Father Jim Kirby (West Des Moines Dowling Catholic High School/Simpson College). The University of Minnesota and Gopher Athletics are proud to celebrate these three individuals, who have made immeasurable contributions to one of the nation's top cross country meets, during Saturday's competition.
Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold (Division I) Race Preview
The Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Division I competition features 14 teams in 2019 including three of the top four programs from one of the tightest team races a year ago. Duke, the defending team champion in 2018, also brings back the top returner in Paul Dellinger, who finished eighth last year to lead the Blue Devils. Minnesota lists the next top returner in team captain Evan Ferlic, who finished 10th a year ago. South Dakota State also returns to the field in 2019 after placing fourth in the Division I competition a year ago.
Jack Johnson Women's Gold (Division I) Race Preview
The 2019 edition of the Jack Johnson Women's Gold Division I competition features 15 teams. Six teams return from the 2018 competition, including team champion Minnesota and team runner-up Cal Baptist. In total six of the top 11 teams from last year's race are back at Les Bolstad Course this year. On the individual side, four of the top five finishers from a year ago return in defending champion Bethany Hasz (Minnesota), 2018 runner-up Megan Hasz (Minnesota), Kelby Anderson (North Dakota State), and Anett Somogyi (Cal Baptist).
Suzy Wilson Women's Maroon Race (Division II & Division III) Race Preview
The 2019 Suzy Wilson Women's Maroon Race includes 37 total teams, including NCAA Division II, Division III, and club teams. Defending Women's Maroon II champion Kayla Wooten of UC-Colorado Springs returns in 2019 along with last year's third-place finisher Ida Narbuvoll from the University of Mary. The top five teams from last year's Maroon II race return in defending champion University of Mary, Augustana (S.D.), UC-Colorado Springs, Michigan Tech, and Northern Michigan. On the Division III side, the top team returning from last year's competition is 2018 runner-up St. Thomas (Minn.), led by Martha Hubell, who finished fifth a year ago.
Jo Rider Men's Maroon Race (Division II & Division III) Race Preview
The 2019 Jo Rider Men's Maroon Race will feature 29 NCAA Division II, Division III and club teams including last year's winners in both the Division II (Augustana) and Division III (UW-Oshkosh) races. Both programs made history in 2018 as Augustana picked up its third-straight Division II crown while UW-Oshkosh won its fourth-straight Division III championship. Meanwhile, Mason Phillips of Sioux Falls will look to make a little history of his own as he attempts to become the first man to win three Griak Invitational collegiate races in his career, regardless of division, in 2019 after repeating as Division II champion in 2017 and 2018.
Up Next
The Gophers are back in action next week with the women splitting the squad at the Joe Piane Notre Dame invitational and the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational on Friday, Oct. 4 and the Gopher men set to race at the Paul Short Run on Saturday, Oct. 5.
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