University of Illinois
Roy Griak Invite
Illini MXC Set for Griak Invite
September 23, 2016 | Men's Cross Country
Lafond, Reiser set for season debut
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini Men's Cross-Country team will compete at its first big meet of the season as they travel north for the Roy Griak Invite in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. The men's gold race will begin at 12:20 p.m. central time.
| Roy Griak Invite | |
|---|---|
| When | Saturday, September 24 // 12:20 p.m. CT |
| Where | Les Bolstad Golf Course // Falcon Heights, Minn. |
| Meet Resources | Meet Notes | Meet Info | Media Guide | Quick Facts | Twitter |
| Live Links | Live Stream ($) |
Watch the Meet Live:
This year's Roy Griak Invite will be broadcasted live on FloTrack beginning at 8:00 a.m. central time with a paid subscription.
A Look at the Competition
A week after competing against No. 9 Eastern Kentucky, the Orange & Blue will once again be pitted against some of the country's top teams. Eight teams ranked in the USTFCCCA poll will compete on the Les Bolstad Golf Course, while the Illini are receiving votes and rank fourth in the Midwest regional rankings.
Illini Set to Run
2015 All-American Dylan Lafond and 2015 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jesse Reiser will both be making their season debut at the meet. Lafond, a senior, placed third at Big Ten Championships last season and 29th at NCAA Championships, while Reiser posted the top time amongst freshmen at Big Ten Championships, placing 11th.
Also competing for the Illini will be Dan Lathrop, Zach Dale, Zack Smith, Billy Magnesen, Jon Davis, Caleb Hummer, Alex Gold and Sean Pengelly.
Coach Stewart on the Meet
"We were at this meet two years ago. And, one thing that's very good about this course is that it can hold a big field, there's plenty of room to work. It may be the largest field we've seen this year, but I don't think that changes how we got about things and what our expectations are."
Jon Davis Impresses in Debut
Making his Illini debut at the Bluegrass Invite, freshman Jon Davis clocked a 24:32.7 8K time that placed him third overall. Competing against host Kentucky and ninth-ranked Eastern Kentucky, Coach Stewart applauded his ability to follow the race plan and close hard at the end of the race.
Lafond of you
The Fighting Illini return senior All-American Dylan Lafond after the Manchester, New Hampshire native made his debut on Coach Stewart's squad last fall after transferring from the University of Mount Olive. Placing third at Big Ten Championships last season, Lafond is the top returning runner from last year's meet. FloTrack has Lafond ranked No. 21 in their preseason rankings. In addition to becoming the Illini's first cross-country All-American since 2007, Lafond has excelled on the track, earning All-America honors in the 3,000m steeplechase and breaking the school's indoor 3K and 5K records last winter.
Reiser to the Top
Reiser enters his sophomore season after earning Big Ten Freshmen of the Year, the first to do so in Illini history. Placing 11th at Big Ten Championships, Reiser moved set the seventh-fastest 8K mark in Illinois history with a time of 23:58.0 before going on to place 22nd at the NCAA Midwest Regional.
Coach Stewart Reels in Second Straight Top-10 Recruiting Class
For the second year in a row FloTrack has ranked the Orange & Blue in their recruiting class rankings. The 2016 class, led by three-time IHSA State Champion Jon Davis, ranks 10th in the nation and third in Big Ten. Stewart also brought in a top-10 class in 2015 with runners Jesse Reiser, Zach Dale and Caleb Hummer.
Up Next
The Illini will be back in action in six days, as they travel to South Bend, Indiana for the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite. The men's race is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. central time.
