FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. – All-Americans Betsy Saina and Meaghan Nelson ran to a 1-2 finish as their fifth-ranked Iowa State women’s cross country team placed its top five runners among the top 22 finishers to defend the Cyclones’ team title in the Gold Division I race at the Roy Griak Invitational Saturday. The 5,000-meter event was run on the Les Bolstad Golf Course.
Iowa State’s men’s team, led by the sixth-place finish of junior Falko Zauber (24:53.6), finished second in the men’s 8,000-meter race. Host Minnesota won the team competition with 67 points.
Saina beat Nelson across the finish line by just over eight seconds, finishing in 20:50.5 seconds. The senior, who had not run competitively since this summer’s African Games, helped her team repeat as champions, with 47 points. Weber State, the nation’s top rated team in the Mountain Region was second with 82 points and Minnesota third with 86.
The race was Nelson’s debut since finishing 12th in the Olympic Trials 10,000 meters in June. The senior finished Saturday in 20:59.2. Nelson was followed by 10th-place teammate Samantha Bluske (21:36), a junior transfer from Illinois State, 16th-place finisher and sophomore Katy Moen (21:49) and freshman Crystal Nelson (22:00.2), who finished 22nd (22:00.2). Senior Taylor Petersen was 42nd (22:25.9) and junior Bethany Olson (22:38.8) 53rd for Iowa State.
A total of 211 runners were in the race.
Zauber, a junior, led Iowa State across the men’s finish line in 24:53.6. Senior Kelly Wiebe of Regina was the winner in 24:18.8. Junior Mohamed Herzi was ninth (25:01), sophomore Edward Kemboi was 20th (25:16.5), sophomore Alex Dillenback was 23rd (25:19.7), sophomore Josh Hietkamp was 27th in 25:30, senior Charlie Paul was 34th in 25:37.7 and junior Besu Shannon-Tamrat was 39th in 25:49.2.
IOWA STATE RESULTS
Women’s Team Scoring
1. IOWA STATE 47; 2. Weber State 82; 3. Minnesota 86; 4. UCONN 88; 5. Guelph 135; 6. Portland 183; 7. Boise State 189; 8. Baylor 253, James Madison 253; 10. Utah Valley 279; 11. Utah State 310; 12. Illinois State 318; 13. Central Michigan 342; 14. Augustana (S.D.) 358; 15. South Dakota State 405; 16. Drake 429; 17. South Dakota 458.
IOWA STATE Individual Results
1. Betsy Saina, IOWA STATE, 20:50.5; 2. Meaghan Nelson, IOWA STATE, 20:59.2; 10. Samantha Bluske, IOWA STATE, 21:36.0; 16. Katy Moen, IOWA STATE, 21:49.0; 22. Crystal Nelson, IOWA STATE, 22:00.2; 42. Taylor Petersen, IOWA STATE, 22:25.9; 53. Bethany Olson, IOWA STATE, 22:38.8.
Men’s Team Scoring
1. Minnesota 67, 2. IOWA STATE 84; 3. Guelph 117; 4. Weber State 162; 5. Boise State 175; 6. Iowa 186; 7. South Dakota State 190; 8. Augustana (S.D.) 200; 9. Central Michigan 214; 10. Utah Valley 220; 11. Utah State 243; 12. Regina 281; 13. South Dakota 289; 14. Drake 349; 15. Illinois State 500.
IOWA STATE Individual Results
1. Kelly Wiebe, Regina, 24:18.8; 6. Falko Zauber, IOWA STATE, 24:53.6; 9. Mohamed Herzi, IOWA STATE, 25:01.0; 20. Edward Kemboi, IOWA STATE, 25:16.5; 23. Alex Dillenbeck, IOWA STATE, 25:19.7; 27. Josh Heitkamp, IOWA STATE, 25:30.0; 34. Charlie Paul, 25:37.7; 39. Besu Shannon-Tamrat, IOWA STATE, 25:49.2.
