Friday, September 20
St. Paul, Minn.
10 AM
University of North Texas
vs
Roy Griak Invitational
Photo by: Rachel Mahan/Texas A&M Athletics
Cross Country Set to Take On Competitive Field at Roy Griak Invitational
9/19/2024 9:35:00 AM | Track & Field/XC
DENTON, Texas – The UNT cross country program will contend with another deep field of teams when it travels to St. Paul, Minn., for one of the nation's top annual meets Friday morning.
"The Roy Griak Invitational is one of the historically great cross country meets in the nation," head coach Erik Stevens said. "We're going to go out there against a solid field and have a chance to prove what we're really capable of doing."
The Mean Green are coming off three consecutive weekends of competition, including the Texas A&M Invitational most recently. UNT saw a number of ranked teams in College Station, which will again be the case at the Roy Griak highlighted by the Utah Valley women who are ranked No. 25 in the USTFCCCA Coaches Poll.
So far this season, Stevens has spread out his runners over the three meets prioritizing executing their race plans. With Friday being UNT's penultimate regular season meet, he is putting his best groups together with the intent to make a statement finish.
Representing UNT for the men will be returners Victor Neiva, Connor Bartek and Alan Proenza. They will be joined by five newcomers, including true freshmen David Kalwahali, Matthew Montgomery, Logan Tauch, Joseph Wienen and transfer Matthew Norton.
"I'm putting a lineup together to really get after it this week with our top eight guys," Stevens said. "They have had solid training up to this point and executed everything we've done up to this point as far as race plans go. If we can go in there and do what we're capable of doing, then I think we can come out of there with a top three finish."
On the women's side, Stevens will send his best four runners in Ximena Lopez de Escalera, Betty Bajika, London Culbreath and Trinity Trotter. In addition, Destiny Hernandez, Ella Bengtsson and Maggie Cuppett will race looking to solidify themselves as UNT's fifth runner moving forward.
"The top four will be racing this weekend, but I have a few options at the fifth spot who are battling through some things right now, so I have to be patient and keep them healthy," Stevens said. "I think we can put together a top five finish on the ladies' side with the four we have and whoever the five is coming in."
The Roy Griak Invitational will take place at the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course. The men's 8K will start the meet at 10 a.m. CT, followed by the women's 6K at approximately 10:45 a.m. The meet will be streamed on Big Ten Plus and have results provided by PrimeTime Timing.
"The Roy Griak Invitational is one of the historically great cross country meets in the nation," head coach Erik Stevens said. "We're going to go out there against a solid field and have a chance to prove what we're really capable of doing."
The Mean Green are coming off three consecutive weekends of competition, including the Texas A&M Invitational most recently. UNT saw a number of ranked teams in College Station, which will again be the case at the Roy Griak highlighted by the Utah Valley women who are ranked No. 25 in the USTFCCCA Coaches Poll.
So far this season, Stevens has spread out his runners over the three meets prioritizing executing their race plans. With Friday being UNT's penultimate regular season meet, he is putting his best groups together with the intent to make a statement finish.
Representing UNT for the men will be returners Victor Neiva, Connor Bartek and Alan Proenza. They will be joined by five newcomers, including true freshmen David Kalwahali, Matthew Montgomery, Logan Tauch, Joseph Wienen and transfer Matthew Norton.
"I'm putting a lineup together to really get after it this week with our top eight guys," Stevens said. "They have had solid training up to this point and executed everything we've done up to this point as far as race plans go. If we can go in there and do what we're capable of doing, then I think we can come out of there with a top three finish."
On the women's side, Stevens will send his best four runners in Ximena Lopez de Escalera, Betty Bajika, London Culbreath and Trinity Trotter. In addition, Destiny Hernandez, Ella Bengtsson and Maggie Cuppett will race looking to solidify themselves as UNT's fifth runner moving forward.
"The top four will be racing this weekend, but I have a few options at the fifth spot who are battling through some things right now, so I have to be patient and keep them healthy," Stevens said. "I think we can put together a top five finish on the ladies' side with the four we have and whoever the five is coming in."
The Roy Griak Invitational will take place at the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course. The men's 8K will start the meet at 10 a.m. CT, followed by the women's 6K at approximately 10:45 a.m. The meet will be streamed on Big Ten Plus and have results provided by PrimeTime Timing.
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