Gophers Teams are Griak Favorites

If the NCAA Division I cross country polls are accurate, spectators at Saturday's 24th annual Griak Invitational could see a Golden Gopher sweep.

The Golden Gopher women, the two-time defending champions at the meet, enter the U of M's signature invitational as the lone top-10 ranked team in the field. The #8 Gophers can expect the toughest challenge from #17 Michigan State and #28 Iowa State from the 18-team women's Gold Division field.

Arizona State, which challenged the Gopher women strongly in their recent Griak victories, is not returning to the meet this year.

The Gopher men, who are looking for their first title at the meet named after long-time Gopher men's cross country and track coach Roy Griak, enter as D1's #17 team. Their toughest competition seems likely to come from #25-ranked Iowa State, although un-ranked Duke could surprise.

Defending Griak Gold Division men's champion, Division II Adam State of Colorado, is not racing in this year's field.

The number of teams competing in the Division I Gold Division of the meet is down overall this year. Only seventeen men's team will race this year. The men's and women's Gold Divison races have averaged more than 24 teams the previous two editions of the meet.

Only once in Griak history has one school won both Gold Division titles -- in 1997 when Wisconsin's men and women swept the honors.

Individually, 2008 Griak runners-up Megan Duwell and Hassan Mead look to join 1998 Griak women's champ Rasa Michniovaite as a home team Griak champion.

Find copious information about the meet compiled by the University of Minnesota sports media folks HERE.