For the third time in the past six years, the University of Minnesota women’s cross country team has claimed the team title at the Roy Griak Invitational. Led by individual champion Ali Weimer, the Maroon and Gold edged No. 25 Utah Valley at Les Bolstad Golf Course on Friday morning for the program’s seventh Griak title since the event started in 1986.
Weimer’s victory is the first for the Maroon and Gold at the Roy Griak Invitational since Bethany Hasz claimed the crown in 2018. Emma Atkinson was the runner-up for the women, marking the first time the Gophers finished first and second since the great Bethany and Megan Hasz did in 2018.
“I seriously cannot believe this is real,” Weimer said after the race. “We’ve been building, and to see it all come together is just amazing. It’s been more than just the past couple of months that have made this possible, it has been the entire last two years for this group. We’ve had a lot of heart break, so to actually be here and see it happen in real life is something I cannot put into words how important it is to me and this entire team.”
“Today was huge for us,” head cross country coach Sarah Hopkins said. “We’ve had this group together for the last three years and we had a great group graduated a few years ago in the Hasz’s and Abby Kohut-Jackson. This group was ready to take over when that group graduated, but it has also had a learning curve and a building process. So I’m just so proud of them because we knew this was in there. We knew the last few years this has been there. I’m just so thrilled for them because they have trusted and put their trust in me to keep driving the ship and keep going in the right direction. We knew this day was possible, but you just never know.”
After the 1-2 finish the Gophers saw graduate student Brianne Brewster clock her fastest finish at the Griak at 21:58.3, which was good enough for 11th overall. In her fourth career college Griak Erin Reidy was 14th overall in a time of 22:04.4, making a huge push late in the race to move from 24th to 14th between the 5K and 6K to help Minnesota jump Utah Valley and claim the team title. Minnesota’s top five was rounded out by Izzy Roemer, a redshirt sophomore, who dropped over a minute from her 2023 time at the Griak to finish 19th in a time of 22:08.7.
Minnesota’s men finished third overall as a team, the program’s highest finish at the event since they finished as the runner up in 2018. Emmet Anderson was the team’s top finisher, clocking a 25:19.7 to finish 11th overall.
Redshirt sophomore Shane Greipentrog was the second runner to cross the line for the men, putting forth a time of 23:58.03 in his first Griak at the college level. Just behind Greipentrog’s 21st place finish was redshirt freshman Aidan Jones in 22nd, finishing in a time of 25:34.2.
Minnesota’s top five was rounded out by Lucas Florsheim, making his Griak debut, in 25th (25:38.0) followed by Tanner Klumph’s 31st place finish in a time of 25:45.7.
UP NEXT
The Maroon & Gold will send a majority of the squad to the Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago, Ill., on October 4. Another portion of the team will compete at the Blugold Invitational in Eau Claire, Wis., which is also held on October 4. For more information on the Golden Gophers cross country schedule, visit the men’s and women’s schedule pages on GopherSports.com.
GOPHER WOMEN’S TOP 5 RESULTS
1st. Ali Weimer, 21:08.5
2nd. Emma Atkinson, 21:13.7
11th. Brianne Brewster, 21:58.3
14th. Erin Reidy, 22:04.4
19th. Izzy Roemer, 22:08.7
GOPHER MEN’S TOP 5 RESULTS
11th. Emmet Anderson, 25:19.7
21st. Shane Griepentrog, 23:58.03
22nd. Aidan Jones, 25:34.2
25th. Lucas Florsheim, 25:38.0
31st. Tanner Klumph, 25:45.7
(info and photos courtesy of Gopher Sports)
