Ranked 25th in the country, the U of M women’s cross country team matched the men’s team by placing 9th in the competitive and challenging Roy Griak Invitational at Les Bolstad Golf Course in St. Paul on Saturday.
True freshman Bethany Hasz (Alexandria) was the first Gopher runner to cross the line as she finished 21st overall with an impressive time on the 6K course in 22:22. Her twin sister Megan was the third member of the team to finish and placed 44th overall. The team has a definite Upper Midwest flavor; all of the runners are from Minnesota, the Dakotas (the second Gopher runner, Madeline Strandemo, is from Fargo), Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. Rounding out the top seven runner were Abby Kargol (IL), Bailey Ness and Emily Betz, both sophomore from East Ridge HS in Woodbury, and Patty O’ Brien (sandwiched between the Woodbury women) of North St. Paul.
Pictured below are Megan Hasz (32), Bailey Ness (37), and Emily Betz (23). This is a young squad with lots of potential that will be fun to follow.
Also celebrated was the long tenure of Coach Gary L. Wilson. Gary passed on the accolades particularly to executive specialist Jo Rider, who was inducted into the Roy Griak Invitational Hall of Fame along with two other Minnesotans: long-time Wayzata coach Bill Miles and Missy Buttry, an assistant coach at Bethel University. I remember her dominant run at the NCAA D-III Championships at St. Olaf when she was an undergraduate student at Wartburg.
Minnesota Athletes 