Arizona Cross Country to Compete at Roy Griak Invitational
The No. 10 ranked women's team and also the men's team will be competing in the invitational this weekend, the largest in Griak's history.

By La Monica Everett-Haynes, Arizona Athletics
Sept. 22, 2011


The Arizona Wildcat No. 10 women's and unranked men's cross country teams will continue the 2011 season with the Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday.

The Arizona teams will participate in the competition, which is being held at Minnesota's Les Bolstad Golf Course. The men's 8,000-meter race is slated to begin at 12:20 p.m. and the women's 6,000-meter race will follow at 1:10 p.m.

For Arizona, the women sit at No. 10 in the national poll and No. 2 in the NCAA West Region poll. Meanwhile, the men's squad sits at No. 9 in the NCAA West Region.

With more than 4,000 runners competing, this year's field is the largest in Griak history.

The Arizona student-athletes will be competing with team from schools that include Arizona State, Boise State, Brigham Young, Colorado State, Penn State and Vanderbilt.

In the 2011 U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association week No. 2 national poll, eight of the 26 women's teams competing at Griak are ranked. Also, three of the 26 men's teams claimed a spot in the top 30. 

The UA women will try and repeat last year's winning performance with junior Liz Apgar, junior Jen Bergman, freshman Stephanie Bulder, freshman Nicci Corbin, senior Hanna Henson, sophomore Elvin Kibet, sophomore Erin Menefee, junior Melanie McGrath, sophomore Amanda Russell and freshman Haley Stenquist toeing the line.

For the men, freshman Kenji Bierig, senior Abdi Hassan, freshman Lawi Lalang, redshirt freshman Sam Macaluso, sophomore Rory McLeod, freshman Thomas Valente and sophomore Patrick Zacharias will sport the Cardinal and Navy.

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