University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, September 18
Fort Snelling, MN
University of Minnesota
vs
40th Roy Griak Invitational
The 40th Roy Griak Invitational Begins Friday at Fort Snelling Golf Course
9/15/2026 1:49:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
The two-day meet begins Friday and can be seen on RunnerSpace.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Roy Griak Invitational returns for its 40th year on Friday, Sept. 18 as the University of Minnesota hosts one of the nation's elite cross country competitions at the Fort Snelling Golf Course.
The two-day event begins with the Women's Suzy Wilson College 6K race at 10:30 a.m. CT followed by the Men's JO Rider College 8K race. The event will be livestreamed by RunnerSpace. Keenan Gray will be the primary broadcaster. Fans can also follow along live at Wayzata Timing.
GRIAK MOVED TO FORT SNELLING GOLF COURSE IN 2026
After 39 years at the Les Bolstad Golf Course the University of Minnesota cross country team relocated the Roy Griak Invitational to the Fort Snelling Golf Course for the 2026 event. For more information on how to attend this year's Roy Griak Invitational visit the Spectator Information inside the meet home page.
Participating Division I Men's Teams
TBD. Expected Wednesday.
Participating Division I Women's Teams
TBD. Expected Wednesday.
Roy Griak Invitational Friday Schedule (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
10:30 AM: Women's Suzy Wilson College 6k Race
11:15 AM: Men's Jo Rider College 8k Race
Roy Griak Invitational Saturday Schedule (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
9:00 AM: Lefty Wright Boys Maroon Competition
9:45 AM: Jack Johnson Girls Maroon Competition
10:30 AM: High School Boys Championship Race
11:15 AM: High School Girls Championship Race
12:00 PM: Merrill Fischbein Boys Gopher Competition
12:45 PM: High School Girls Gopher Competition
1:30 PM: Larry Zirgibel Boy's Gold Competition
2:15 PM: Gary Wilson Girls Gold Competition
HONORING A LEGEND
A cross-country coaching legend and a leader at the University of Minnesota for more than five decades, Roy Griak's greatest contribution to the sport may be the competition that bears his name. The Roy Griak Invitational not only stands as one of the nation's premiere cross country meets, but it also honors Coach Griak and his immeasurable contributions to the sport and the University of Minnesota. Griak, a M Club Hall of Famer, grew up in Duluth and ran cross country and track and field when he came to the University of Minnesota in the 1940s.
A former letter winner for the Gophers, Griak, who passed away on July 9, 2015, served the University of Minnesota for more than 50 years as a member of the men's track & field and cross-country coaching staff and remained devoted to his alma mater for his entire life.
LAST TIME OUT – CYCLONE PREVIEW
Both the men and women of the University of Minnesota cross country programs finished as champions of the Cyclone Preview in Ames, Iowa., at the Iowa State Cross Country Course on September 4. The Maroon and Gold's top individual finishers were Ali Weimer (1st, 16:15.3) and Emmett Gerres (3rd, 18:14.2).
The women's race was run at a 5000m distance with Weimer dropping a minute from her previous 5K cross country lifetime best to win. Weimer, a Big Ten Cross Country 2024 bronze medalist, led the way for Minnesota's lineup that finished first, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth to claim the team title. The women's win with 27 points came over the likes of Missouri (34 points), Nebraska (98 points), Drake (111 points) and Iowa State (117 points). The men's championship was brought back by the leadership of captain Emmett Gerres who's third-place individual effort led the way for Minnesota to score 37 team points and hold off Missouri (40 points) and Iowa State (84 points).
WEIMER HONORED BY BIG TEN
Fifth year Ali Weimer was named the Big Ten's Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the third time of her career, the conference office announced on September 9. The honor for Weimer came on the heels of a Cyclone Preview victory in the 2026 cross country season opener.
Weimer, a Saint Michael, Minn., native, won the 5K event in Ames, Iowa in a time of 16:15.3. Weimer, a 2024 Big Ten Cross Country Championships bronze medalist, led the way for Minnesota's lineup that finished first, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth overall to claim the team title. The women's team win with 27 points came over the likes of Missouri (34 points), Nebraska (98 points), Drake (111 points) and Iowa State (117 points).
GRIAK TICKETS ON SALE
Skip the wait on race day and purchase tickets for the Roy Griak Invitational online at GopherSports.com. General admission tickets can be purchased online and at the entrance gate on race day.
UP NEXT
The Maroon & Gold run seven days after the Griak Invitational at the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Illinois.
The two-day event begins with the Women's Suzy Wilson College 6K race at 10:30 a.m. CT followed by the Men's JO Rider College 8K race. The event will be livestreamed by RunnerSpace. Keenan Gray will be the primary broadcaster. Fans can also follow along live at Wayzata Timing.
GRIAK MOVED TO FORT SNELLING GOLF COURSE IN 2026
After 39 years at the Les Bolstad Golf Course the University of Minnesota cross country team relocated the Roy Griak Invitational to the Fort Snelling Golf Course for the 2026 event. For more information on how to attend this year's Roy Griak Invitational visit the Spectator Information inside the meet home page.
Participating Division I Men's Teams
TBD. Expected Wednesday.
Participating Division I Women's Teams
TBD. Expected Wednesday.
Roy Griak Invitational Friday Schedule (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
10:30 AM: Women's Suzy Wilson College 6k Race
11:15 AM: Men's Jo Rider College 8k Race
Roy Griak Invitational Saturday Schedule (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
9:00 AM: Lefty Wright Boys Maroon Competition
9:45 AM: Jack Johnson Girls Maroon Competition
10:30 AM: High School Boys Championship Race
11:15 AM: High School Girls Championship Race
12:00 PM: Merrill Fischbein Boys Gopher Competition
12:45 PM: High School Girls Gopher Competition
1:30 PM: Larry Zirgibel Boy's Gold Competition
2:15 PM: Gary Wilson Girls Gold Competition
HONORING A LEGEND
A cross-country coaching legend and a leader at the University of Minnesota for more than five decades, Roy Griak's greatest contribution to the sport may be the competition that bears his name. The Roy Griak Invitational not only stands as one of the nation's premiere cross country meets, but it also honors Coach Griak and his immeasurable contributions to the sport and the University of Minnesota. Griak, a M Club Hall of Famer, grew up in Duluth and ran cross country and track and field when he came to the University of Minnesota in the 1940s.
A former letter winner for the Gophers, Griak, who passed away on July 9, 2015, served the University of Minnesota for more than 50 years as a member of the men's track & field and cross-country coaching staff and remained devoted to his alma mater for his entire life.
LAST TIME OUT – CYCLONE PREVIEW
Both the men and women of the University of Minnesota cross country programs finished as champions of the Cyclone Preview in Ames, Iowa., at the Iowa State Cross Country Course on September 4. The Maroon and Gold's top individual finishers were Ali Weimer (1st, 16:15.3) and Emmett Gerres (3rd, 18:14.2).
The women's race was run at a 5000m distance with Weimer dropping a minute from her previous 5K cross country lifetime best to win. Weimer, a Big Ten Cross Country 2024 bronze medalist, led the way for Minnesota's lineup that finished first, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth to claim the team title. The women's win with 27 points came over the likes of Missouri (34 points), Nebraska (98 points), Drake (111 points) and Iowa State (117 points). The men's championship was brought back by the leadership of captain Emmett Gerres who's third-place individual effort led the way for Minnesota to score 37 team points and hold off Missouri (40 points) and Iowa State (84 points).
WEIMER HONORED BY BIG TEN
Fifth year Ali Weimer was named the Big Ten's Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the third time of her career, the conference office announced on September 9. The honor for Weimer came on the heels of a Cyclone Preview victory in the 2026 cross country season opener.
Weimer, a Saint Michael, Minn., native, won the 5K event in Ames, Iowa in a time of 16:15.3. Weimer, a 2024 Big Ten Cross Country Championships bronze medalist, led the way for Minnesota's lineup that finished first, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth overall to claim the team title. The women's team win with 27 points came over the likes of Missouri (34 points), Nebraska (98 points), Drake (111 points) and Iowa State (117 points).
GRIAK TICKETS ON SALE
Skip the wait on race day and purchase tickets for the Roy Griak Invitational online at GopherSports.com. General admission tickets can be purchased online and at the entrance gate on race day.
UP NEXT
The Maroon & Gold run seven days after the Griak Invitational at the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Illinois.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Men's Cross Country
Distance
/ Women's Cross CountryFriday, September 19
Tuesday, September 02
Monday, November 25
Thursday, November 21