Men's cross country continues season at Griak Invitational

ST. PAUL, Minn. – No. 3 BYU men’s cross country will compete in the 35th Annual Roy Griak Invitational at Les Bolstad Golf Course on Friday, Sept. 24.

Meet Information

• 35th Annual Roy Griak Invitational
• Host: Minnesota
• Location: Les Bolstad Golf Course | St. Paul, Minnesota
• Men’s race: 10:30 a.m. CDT.
• Results

In the team’s last time out, Conner Mantz and Aidan Troutner led the way in a season-opening win at the Autumn Classic in Provo, Utah on Sept. 11. Except for a seventh-place finish at the 2020 NCAA Championships, BYU has won four of its last five meets dating back to the Weber State Invitational on Nov. 6, 2020.

Mantz, Troutner and Brandon Garnica each finished in the top-5 at the Autumn Classic and will race again for the Cougars at Griak. All-American Casey Clinger will return to action for BYU on Friday. In Clinger’s last meet, he finished 13th at the 2020 NCAA Championships.

Joey Nokes and Davin Thompson will compete in the first meet of their BYU careers at Griak. The Cougars will also run Lucas Bons, Zack Ericksen, Justin Hartshorn, Zac Jacklin, McKay Johns, Creed Thompson and Adam Wood.

BYU moved up a spot to a tie for No. 3 with Stanford in the USTFCCCA National Coaches’ Poll when the rankings were released on Tuesday.

The Cougars will have a chance to defend that ranking at the Griak Invitational as they face 19 teams, including No. 10 Iowa State and No. 26 Michigan State. Host Minnesota is coming off a fifth-place finish at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational in University Park, Pennsylvania on Friday, Sept. 10.

BYU last competed at the Griak Invitational in 2013. The Cougars won the 2013 Griak behind a 24:26 8K from two-time All-American Tylor Thatcher.

Meet the Host

• Minnesota cross country is led by Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Matt Bingle and Cross Country Head Coach Sarah Hopkins.
• The Golden Gophers' men's cross country tradition includes...
  • four conference championships
  •  23 appearances at NCAA Championships
  •  24 All-Americans