AMES, Iowa - A veteran Iowa State cross country team will travel to Minneapolis, Minn. Saturday for the 24th Annual Roy Griak Invitational, located on University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course.
“We've got great leadership on both sides,” head coach Corey Ihmels said. “We're going to expect those athletes to lead us as we go on to the championship season. I think we are all just excited to get a race under our belts, see where were at, and get back to work for three more weeks before we go to Pre Nationals.”
Senior's Lisa Koll and Grace Kemmey will be running their first official cross country race for the Cyclones since finishing 18th and 22nd at the 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships, Saturday at the Roy Griak Invitational.
The senior-duo finished third and fifth, respectively, at the 2007 Big 12 Cross Country Championships. Both redshirted the 2008 cross country season. Koll and Kemmey finished second and third, respectively, at the 2007 Roy Griak Invitational.
“Lisa and Grace both have a real love for cross country, and having to sit out last season was difficult at times for them,” Ihmels said. “But they are just excited to get out and race and see where they are at fitness wise.”
Senior Paige Ties finished 48th at last year's Roy Griak Invitational. The Eden Prairie, Minn. native was the first Cyclone across the finish line at last years meet, leading the Cyclones to a 10th-place finish.
Sophomores Meaghan Nelson and Dani Stack will be competing at their second Roy Griak Invitational. The duo finished in the top-third of a field of 222 runners at last year's meet. Nelson and Stack were the second and third finisher, respectively, for the Cyclones.
Making their debut for the Cyclones this year will be freshmen Alphine Tuliamuk and Betsy Saina. Saina will be running her first cross country race of her career this Saturday, after running for the track team in the 2008 season. The freshman finished runner-up in both the 5,000 and 10,000-meter races at the 2008 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Saina was name 2009 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year
North Dakota State transfer Semehar Tesfaye will also be running her first race in Cardinal and Gold, but the sophomore is no stranger to the Les Bolstad Golf Course. Running as a true freshman, Tesfaye finished 69th (23:01) at the 2008 Roy Griak Invitational.
Several runners will be making their debut this season for the men's cross country team. Junior Hillary Bor finished in eighth (24:19) at last years meet, leading the Cyclones to a second-place finish. Bor finished 12th (24:51) as a true freshman at the 2007 Roy Griak Invitational.
Guor Marial will be running in his fourth and final Roy Griak Invitational. The senior has bettered his time every meet for the past three years, and finished 12th (24:30) at last year's meet.
Sophomore Rico Loy made his presence known on the men's cross country team at last years meet, finishing 19th (24:53) in his first ever race for the Cyclones. Sophomores Yonas Mebrahtu and Clayton Carper both finished in the top twenty-percent out of a field of 229 runners in 2008.
A meet recap will be posted on cyclones.com.
