Tech Cross Country Teams ranked in latest USTFCAAA Polls
HOUGHTON, Mich. - Michigan Tech men's cross country stayed at No. 27 while women's cross country was ranked No. 28 (down two positions) in this week's United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCAAA) National Rankings Poll. The Huskies remained at No. 5 and No. 8 in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region polls respectively.
Fellow GLIAC school Grand Valley State (No. 2) also made the men's top-25. Grand Valley State (No. 1), Wayne State (No. 19), and Saginaw Valley State (No. 26) joined the Huskies as top-25 women's programs.
LAST TIME OUT
In their first team competition on September 11, Tech men's cross country took home first place amongst a 10-team field at the Wayne State Warrior Invitational, with three top-10 finishers (Clayton Sayen - 3rd, Samuel Lange - 6th, Nick Niemi - 9th). Tech women's cross country finished second with a pair of top-five positions (Michelle Bollini - 4th place, Sam Kurkowski - 5th).
ROY GRIAK INVITATIONAL PREVIEW
This week, the Huskies contend with one of the largest Cross Country events in the country, the Roy Griak Invitational. Hosted by the University of Minnesota at Les Bolstad Golf Course in St. Paul; Tech will compete in the men's 8K and women's 6K races. The men cross the start line at 1 p.m., followed by the women at 1:45 p.m. EST. In 2019, both squads achieved high team finishes as the men placed second and the women secured fifth-place. Senior Braden Reichl (Green River, Wyoming) finished in the top five with Sayen in 12th. Sam Kurkowski (Roseville, Minnesota) returns to St. Paul this year hoping to improve on a strong 23rd place finish two years ago. In fall 2019, 27 men's teams and 29 women's teams from NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA made appearances in the Maroon race. Augustana University (South Dakota) placed first in both events.
The Huskies have four scheduled meets remaining prior to the GLIAC Championships on Saturday, October 23, hosted by Saginaw Valley State.