NSIC Week In Review

NSIC Women's Cross Country Athlete  of the Week
Runa Falch
Senior
Steinkjer, Norway
Steinkjer HS
Augustana

Runa Falch won the Roy Griak Invitational women's title in a new meet record time of 21:34.3.  Falch ran with the lead group and took the lead with  600 meters to go, leading the Vikings to a team victory.

Team Notes
AugustanaAugustana cross country returned to competiton for the first time in three weeks at the Roy Griak Invitational and won the Maroon II race. Runa Falch led the way with a record-breaking win. She was followed by Kritin Brondbo in fifth place and Gabi Swoboda (18th) Megan Brown (24th) and Kaitlyn Yoerg (33rd).  This weekend, the Vikings head South to Fayetteville, Ark. for the Chili Pepper Classic on Oct. 5.
Concordia-St. Paul
Anna Schield led the team at the Griak Invitational with a time of 24:53.7 to finish in 128th place.  Concordia competes this Friday at the St. Cloud State Invitational before the team takes three weeks off to prepare for the NSIC Championships on October 26 in Sioux Falls, SD.

University of Mary
Jennifer Agnew (Sr., Onamia, Minn. / Onamia) placed sixth overall and led the Marauders to fourth place at the Roy Griak Invitational. The national runner of the week earlier this season, Agnew placed third among college runners. The senior All-American ran the 6K course in a time of 22:10.4. Three other Marauders placed in the top 51. Megan Beam finished 24th, Kayla Carlson was 39th and Erin Leier was 51st.  

Marauders finished ahead of Southwest Baptist, ranked 20th in the nation and third in the Central region, and Winona State, receiving votes nationally and ranked sixth in the region. U-Mary was rated seventh in last week's regional rankings.

Minnesota Duluth
Bolstered by top 12 finishes by three of its runners, UMD placed second among 33 teams in the Maroon  II 6K event at the Griak Invitational. The Bulldogs, who occupied the number two spot in last week's United States Track and Field and Cross Country Association NCAA D II Central Region Rankings, compiled a team score of 121 points. 

The Griak featured six of the top nine teams in the latest USTFCCA II Central Region Rankings. For the third time in as many meets this fall, freshman Breanna Colbenson paced the Bulldogs individually, clocking  a 6K time of 22:16.4 to finish fourth in the  356-runner field. Junior Alexandra Rudin (10th overall; 22:58.8) was next followed by freshman Samantha Rivard (12th; 23:03.8), sophomore Kaelyn Williams (44th; 23:45.9) and sophomore Hannah Olson (51st; 23:50.6).

The Bulldogs will return to action on Oct. 12 when they compete in the University of Wisconsin-Parkside's Lucian Rosa Invitational.

Minnesota State Mankato
The Minnesota State women's cross country team placed 13th at the Griak Invitational Saturday. Sophomore Emily Knapczyk was the top Maverick individual. The Plymouth, Minn., native ran 23:40.5, placing 38th. Junior Samantha Soupir (24:10) was 70th, senior Sarah Bowler (24:31.6) was 84th, junior Marina Paul (24:39.8) was 91st, junior Stephanie Steenhoek (24:56.3) placed 110th, senior Jessie Dejong (25:01.1) was 113th, and junior Kimberly Allan (25:03.1) finished 114th. 

Next race for the team Caty's Run slated on Oct. 12 in Mankato.Southwest Minnesota State
The SMSU women's cross country team was 29th out of 32 teams at the Griak Invitational. Freshman Amanda Grengs (Minneota, Minn.) posted a team-best 25:52(177th). Paige Yi finished with a time of 25:59 (187th), while Tatum Larson finished 193rd in 26:07. Julia Sauder ran a time of 28:31 to finish 286th, followed by Hanna Dressen in 316th place with a time of 30:37, while Diana Moe finished 325th place with a time of 31:48. 

SMSU returns to action Oct. 4, competing at the South Dakota State Classic in Brookings, SD.

St. Cloud State
Kassie Vaness paced the St. Cloud State University's women's cross country team at the Griak Invitational in the Maroon  II race.  She placed 26th in 23:15.1 to help the Huskies place 17th  out of 34 squads with 531 points.  SCSU's Samantha Sunstrom placed 31st in 23:31.2.  Jenny Metzler was 194th  in 26:00.02. Kylie Baas 219th overall in 26:29.8. Lindsay Stassen 223rd in 26:33.8. Rachel Sakry (26:37.0/172nd) and Jessie Hubley (27:00.9/187th).  

The Huskies will continue their season on Oct. 4 with a dual meet at home against Concordia St. Paul.  The race will be held at the Wapicada Golf Course in nearby Sauk Rapids. The start time is scheduled for 5 p.m.  Admission for this event is free.  The meet will honor 50 years of cross country at St. Cloud State University, which began with the first men's team in 1964.  Winona State
Jessica Young (Jr., Winona, Minn.) finished 21st to lead the Warriors at the Roy Griak Invitational Saturday. Young posted a time of 23:08 as the Warriors finished tenth in the event. Jordan Skelly added a 38th-place finish for the Warriors in the extremely competitive event.

NSIC Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Paul Yak
Senior
Storm Lake, Iowa
St. Mary's HS
Augustana

Paul Yak placed second at the Roy Griak Invitational leading the Vikings to the team title.  Yak's time of 25:21 (8K) edged out teammate Adam Braun as the Vikings tallied 53 points -- the lowest men's total since 1995. Yak adds this runner-up finish to his previous performances at the Griak  where he placed seventh in last-year's gold race and finished 16th in the Gold race two years ago.

Team Notes
Augustana
Paul Yak (Sr., Storm Lake, Iowa/ St. Mary's) placed second at the Roy Griak Invitational leading the Vikings to the team title.  Yak's time of 25:21 (8K) edged out teammate Adam Braun as the Vikings tallied just 53 team points -- the lowest men's total since 1995. Yak adds this runner-up finish to his tremendous showing at the Griak.  Yak placed seventh in last-year's Division I race and finished 16th in the D-I race two years ago.
 Augustana men won the Maroon II race. They placed all top five of their runners in the top 20 including two in the top three.  Paul Yak and Adam Braun finished second and third while Tom Karbo passed nearly 40 runners after the halfway point on the way to an 11th place finish.  John Klecker (18th) Keegan Carda (19th) were the other scorers. 

The Vikings  head South to Fayetteville, Ark. for the Chili Pepper Classic on Oct. 5.

Concordia-St. Paul
The Concordia-St. Paul's top finisher at the Griak was Nic Rudolph in  a time of 28:25.7(237th ).   Concordia competes this Friday at the St. Cloud State Invitational before the team takes three weeks off to prepare for the NSIC Championships on Oct. 26 in Sioux Falls, SD.

University of Mary
Led by Chris Jessop (So., Corvallis, MT), the University of Mary men's cross country team finished 19th out of 40 teams and fourth among the nine Northern Sun schools that competed at the Griak. Jessop was 36th, running the 8,000 meter course in 26:18. Taylor Thompson (Sr., Williston, ND), who crossed the finish line less than a minute later, placed 102nd.

Minnesota Duluth
The University of Minnesota Duluth placed 15th out of 40 schools in the Maroon II race at the Griak Invitational. On a wet, windy morning at the Les Bolstad Golf Course, the Bulldogs scored  445 points -- a figure bettered by only two other Northern Sun Intercollegiate teams -- Augustana College (first overall) and Minnesota State University Mankato (13th). Junior Dan Nielsen led the team for the third meet in a row finishing 34th out of 450 runners with a time of 26:22.  He was followed by sophomore Mitch Fisher (90th/ 27:10), junior Mitch Zuidema (96th/27:16), sophomore Drew Johnson (102nd/27:19), and freshman Seth Hare (123rd;/27:33) rounded off the top five Bulldogs. 

The UMD men will be back in action again in two weeks (Oct. 12) when they travel to Kenosha, Wis, for the Lucian Rosa Invitational, which is hosted by UW-Parkside.

Minnesota State Mankato
The Minnesota State men's cross country team placed 15th at the Griak Invitational . Senior Devin Allbaugh, who finished eighth 25:44. Junior Josiah Swanson was 23rd-place in 26:13.  Junior Jacob Ball (24th, 26:13). Junior Matthew Stocker (154th, 27:48). Junior Alex Schoneberger (192nd, 28:25). Sophomore Ryan Erdman (196th, 28:29) and sophomore Matt Longen (219th, 28:53). 

Next action for the Mavericks is Jackrabbit Invitational slated for Oct. 4 in Brookings, SD.Southwest Minnesota State
 The SMSU country team finished 27th out of 40 teams at the Griak. Junior Trent Smith (Charles City, Iowa) was 64th in  26:40.  OJ Ojulla finished 173rd in 27:43. Alejandro Sanchez was 232nd in 28:25. Blake Wooten ran 28:54 to finish 285th.  Kelly Fitzsimmons was 296th in 29:03, Kevin Leiferman 345th in 29:55, while Alex Solheim ran 30:00 to place 351st.

St. Cloud State
St. Cloud State University finished in 37th place in the Griak Maroon II race.  The Huskies were led at the race by Tom Mountain, who placed 161st with a time of 27:55. Johnathan Hess was 179th at 28:09.  Chris Caron 204th in 28:37.  Ra'shad Harris 29:54 (246th) and Paul Maile ran 30:39 (267th).  The Huskies will continue their 2013 season on Oct. 4 with a home dual meet against Concordia St. Paul.  

The meet will honor 50 years of cross country at St. Cloud State University, which began with the first men's team in 1964.  The team was led by Coach Bob Tracy and featured athletes Ken Mitchell, Van Nelson, and Chuck Spoden.  Special honors will also be given at the meet to the 1967 SCSU men's cross country team, which placed second at the NAIA National meet that season, and the 1983 SCSU men's cross country team that placed second at the NCAA Division II meet that season.Winona State
Shane Carlson (So., Roseville, Minn.) finished third at the SMU No Limit Invitational, leading the Warriors to a fourth-place finish as a team. Carlson recorded a time of 27:42 for 8K. David Lund finished 12th. Clay Scott and Nathan Mollan also posted top-25 finishes.