The Dordt University men's cross country team finished on the podium (top 3) at the 39th annual Roy Griak Invitational, hosted by the University of Minnesota this afternoon at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn.

• Results | PDF

Competing in the Jo Rider Men's Maroon 8K Race comprised of NCAA D-II, D-II, NAIA and Junior College teams, Dordt placed third overall and was the top NAIA finisher. The 18th-ranked Defenders totaled 121 points, 21 in back of Minnesota State (NCAA D-II) and 24 ahead of South Dakota Mines (NCAA D-II).

This is the second time in program history the Defenders finished on the podium at Griak (2nd in 2022) and just the fourth time an NAIA team has done so (Indiana Wesleyan in 2021 and 2022). 

• "The men's team ran incredibly well today," said Dordt University Head Coach Nate Wolf. "One of our main goals was to work on positioning within a large, competitive field.  The men did that very well, finding areas where they could get into rhythm and move through the course smoothly. To see the Dordt men get their second Roy Griak podium finish in the past four years speaks to the work these men have put in over the course of their careers." 

Michigan Tech, ranked 27th in the latest NCAA D-II poll, ran away with the team title, scoring just 35 points and putting four of its five scoring runners within the top 10. 

For the second consecutive meet, Truman Johnson was the top Defenders runner, finishing just outside the top 10 with an 11th place finish. The sophomore completed the challenging 8K course in 26:57 and was among the top 10 runners for the entirety of the race. Luke Swanson was close behind and crossed the finish line in 13th place with a time of 27:00.3. Johnson and Swanson gave the Defenders two "podium finishers". 

Trace Obbink was the third Dordt runner, placing 28th overall (27:27) while Isaac Fagan (40th - 27:44) and Levi Landman (45th - 27:55) round out the Defenders point scorers. 

• "Truman and Luke did an outstanding job leading the team.  Trace and Isaac really went for it and put themselves in strong positions at the start of the race and were able to maintain those positions. 

Drew Kolodge (Crown Running Club) won the race with a time of 25:22, over a minute faster than the second place runner, Michael Dennis (Michigan Tech). 

A total of 21 teams and 273 runners finished today's race. 

Defender Notes: 

• total time: 2:17:05
• average: 27:25
• 1-5 spread: 58 seconds
• 1-7 spread: 1:13
• today's conditions for the 8K: 65 degrees, very humid and wet
• this was Johnson's 5th top 25 finish in his career
• Swanson has eight top 25 finishes in his career

Up Next:

• a contingent of Defender runners, who did not compete at the Griak Invite, will compete at the Briar Cliff Invite on Oct.4