University of Minnesota Athletics
Roy Griak Invitational Race Namesakes
9/19/2021 5:11:00 PM | Griak Invitational
The Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition
Long-time cross country/track official Merrill Fischbein is honored annually at the Roy Griak Invitational as the namesake of the Division I men's collegiate eight-kilometer race -- officially named the Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition in 2010.
Fischbein served as the Roy Griak Invitational's supervisor of officials for 24 years until his retirement from officiating cross country/track events. Overall, Fischbein officiated these events for over 45 years.
A North Minneapolis native, Fischbein attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with a bachelor's degree in recreation leadership and physical education in 1959 and returned to earn a master's degree in education. Fischbein was a member of the Gopher track & field team under Jim Kelly. In 2010, he was inducted into the Minnesota Track & Field Hall of Fame and received the prestigious USA Track & Field Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Jack Johnson Women's Gold Competition
In memory of long-time University of Minnesota equipment manager Jack Johnson, the Roy Griak Invitational proudly renamed the Gold Women's Race in his honor in 2006.
Johnson will always be a part of the Minnesota women's cross country and track & field programs. After serving as the Golden Gophers' equipment manager for over three decades, Johnson passed away in February of 2006 after a battle with cancer.
Minnesota annually hosts Jack's Run, a five-kilometer race open to the public with proceeds shared between the Jack Johnson Endowed Scholarship and the Angel Foundation.
The Gary Wilson Gold High School Girls' Competition
In 28 years as head women's cross country coach, Gary Wilson led the Gophers to the program's first two Big Ten titles in 2007 and 2008 as well as three-straight Midwest Regional crowns (2007-09). The long-time coach also guided the Maroon & Gold to 15-consecutive NCAA championship appearances and coached six different runners to nine total All-America distinctions.
Wilson also served as head track & field coach for 21 seasons before taking an assistant coach position in 2007. Wilson was part of four Big Ten titles on the track (2006-09). He was named Coach of the Year for the Big Ten, Midwest Region, and Midwest District in 2006 when Minnesota won the outdoor conference title and Heather Dorniden became the Gophers' first-ever national champion.
Before coming to Minnesota, Gary Wilson built an NCAA Division III powerhouse at UW-La Crosse, where he coached the women's team to three-consecutive track & field national championships and one cross country national title. Wilson is an inductee of the USTFCCCA, Drake Relays, Minnesota 'M' Club, and UW-La Crosse Halls of Fame.
The Suzy Wilson Women's Maroon Competition
While Gary Wilson may in fact be the Dean of Big Ten Cross Country, Suzy Wilson deserves equal praise for her contributions to the University of Minnesota and for sharing her husband with Gopher Athletics for nearly three decades.
A teacher by profession, Suzy Wilson served as a second mother to hundreds of student-athletes at Minnesota during her husband's coaching career with the school, volunteering at nearly every event and working behind the scenes while her husband developed one of the nation's premiere programs.
The husband-and-wife pair shared their lives with the Gopher Athletics family for close to three decades, developing great friends and memories, although both will agree one of their proudest accomplishments was the founding of the Roy Griak Invitational – named after long-time Gopher head coach Roy Griak.
The Lefty Wright Maroon High School Boys' Competition
Lefty Wright's association with the Roy Griak Invitational traces its roots to the beginning of the popular meet. His association with the meet's namesake ran even deeper.
A former high school coach, teacher, and administrator at St. Louis Park High School (1958-68), Wright spent five seasons as an assistant coach for Griak at the school before succeeding Griak when the legendary coach took over the University of Minnesota program. Wright later worked as the official starter at the Griak Invitational for 27 of the first 29 editions of the meet, while also working as the starter at nine Big Ten Conference indoor and outdoor track & field championships and numerous other meets at the University of Minnesota.
The Maroon High School Boys Competition was renamed in Wright's honor following his passing in 2015.
The Larry Zirgibel Gold High School Boys' Competition
In memory of Larry Zirgibel, the Roy Griak Invitational proudly renamed the Gold Boys' High School Competition in his honor in 2008.
Zirgibel was a Master Official of U.S.A. Track & Field for 25 years and traveled all over the United States to many national competitions in track & field.
One of his favorites was the Junior/Senior National Outdoor Championship of Track & Field. Minnesota, the Big Ten, the MIAC, the WIAC, and the entire cross country/track & field community truly lost a great friend when Zirgibel passed away in 2008.
The Jo Rider Men's Maroon Competition
The Roy Griak Invitational is proud to honor long-time University of Minnesota staff member Jo Rider with the Jo Rider Men's Maroon III Competition -- ran for the first time in 2017.
A native of Truman, Minn., Rider served the University of Minnesota Athletic Department for 34 years before her retirement. Rider joined the Gophers in 1983 and supported the Roy Griak Invitational in one way or another since its inception in 1986. With her assistance, the meet developed into one of the nation's top cross country competitions. In honor of her efforts, Rider was inducted into the Roy Griak Invitational Hall of Fame in 2016.
Long-time cross country/track official Merrill Fischbein is honored annually at the Roy Griak Invitational as the namesake of the Division I men's collegiate eight-kilometer race -- officially named the Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition in 2010.
Fischbein served as the Roy Griak Invitational's supervisor of officials for 24 years until his retirement from officiating cross country/track events. Overall, Fischbein officiated these events for over 45 years.
A North Minneapolis native, Fischbein attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with a bachelor's degree in recreation leadership and physical education in 1959 and returned to earn a master's degree in education. Fischbein was a member of the Gopher track & field team under Jim Kelly. In 2010, he was inducted into the Minnesota Track & Field Hall of Fame and received the prestigious USA Track & Field Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Jack Johnson Women's Gold Competition
In memory of long-time University of Minnesota equipment manager Jack Johnson, the Roy Griak Invitational proudly renamed the Gold Women's Race in his honor in 2006.
Johnson will always be a part of the Minnesota women's cross country and track & field programs. After serving as the Golden Gophers' equipment manager for over three decades, Johnson passed away in February of 2006 after a battle with cancer.
Minnesota annually hosts Jack's Run, a five-kilometer race open to the public with proceeds shared between the Jack Johnson Endowed Scholarship and the Angel Foundation.
The Gary Wilson Gold High School Girls' Competition
In 28 years as head women's cross country coach, Gary Wilson led the Gophers to the program's first two Big Ten titles in 2007 and 2008 as well as three-straight Midwest Regional crowns (2007-09). The long-time coach also guided the Maroon & Gold to 15-consecutive NCAA championship appearances and coached six different runners to nine total All-America distinctions.
Wilson also served as head track & field coach for 21 seasons before taking an assistant coach position in 2007. Wilson was part of four Big Ten titles on the track (2006-09). He was named Coach of the Year for the Big Ten, Midwest Region, and Midwest District in 2006 when Minnesota won the outdoor conference title and Heather Dorniden became the Gophers' first-ever national champion.
Before coming to Minnesota, Gary Wilson built an NCAA Division III powerhouse at UW-La Crosse, where he coached the women's team to three-consecutive track & field national championships and one cross country national title. Wilson is an inductee of the USTFCCCA, Drake Relays, Minnesota 'M' Club, and UW-La Crosse Halls of Fame.
The Suzy Wilson Women's Maroon Competition
While Gary Wilson may in fact be the Dean of Big Ten Cross Country, Suzy Wilson deserves equal praise for her contributions to the University of Minnesota and for sharing her husband with Gopher Athletics for nearly three decades.
A teacher by profession, Suzy Wilson served as a second mother to hundreds of student-athletes at Minnesota during her husband's coaching career with the school, volunteering at nearly every event and working behind the scenes while her husband developed one of the nation's premiere programs.
The husband-and-wife pair shared their lives with the Gopher Athletics family for close to three decades, developing great friends and memories, although both will agree one of their proudest accomplishments was the founding of the Roy Griak Invitational – named after long-time Gopher head coach Roy Griak.
The Lefty Wright Maroon High School Boys' Competition
Lefty Wright's association with the Roy Griak Invitational traces its roots to the beginning of the popular meet. His association with the meet's namesake ran even deeper.
A former high school coach, teacher, and administrator at St. Louis Park High School (1958-68), Wright spent five seasons as an assistant coach for Griak at the school before succeeding Griak when the legendary coach took over the University of Minnesota program. Wright later worked as the official starter at the Griak Invitational for 27 of the first 29 editions of the meet, while also working as the starter at nine Big Ten Conference indoor and outdoor track & field championships and numerous other meets at the University of Minnesota.
The Maroon High School Boys Competition was renamed in Wright's honor following his passing in 2015.
The Larry Zirgibel Gold High School Boys' Competition
In memory of Larry Zirgibel, the Roy Griak Invitational proudly renamed the Gold Boys' High School Competition in his honor in 2008.
Zirgibel was a Master Official of U.S.A. Track & Field for 25 years and traveled all over the United States to many national competitions in track & field.
One of his favorites was the Junior/Senior National Outdoor Championship of Track & Field. Minnesota, the Big Ten, the MIAC, the WIAC, and the entire cross country/track & field community truly lost a great friend when Zirgibel passed away in 2008.
The Jo Rider Men's Maroon Competition
The Roy Griak Invitational is proud to honor long-time University of Minnesota staff member Jo Rider with the Jo Rider Men's Maroon III Competition -- ran for the first time in 2017.
A native of Truman, Minn., Rider served the University of Minnesota Athletic Department for 34 years before her retirement. Rider joined the Gophers in 1983 and supported the Roy Griak Invitational in one way or another since its inception in 1986. With her assistance, the meet developed into one of the nation's top cross country competitions. In honor of her efforts, Rider was inducted into the Roy Griak Invitational Hall of Fame in 2016.
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