GRAND FORKS, N.D. – For the fourth consecutive year, North Dakota will open the season at home, hosting the Ron Pynn Classic on Friday. The women's 5K will begin the meet at 5 p.m., followed by the men's 6K race at 5:35 p.m. Both competitions will run at Ray Richards Golf Course.
The meet was named after retired UND professor and log time supporter of the track & field programs, Ron Pynn. Live results will be available at HerosTiming.com.
About the Course
The Ray Richards Golf Course is located at 3501 Demers Avenue, Grand Forks, N.D., 58202.
The 5K course is a 1K loop followed by a 4K loop. The 6K loop is a 1K loop repeated twice, followed by a 4K loop. The terrain is flat with a couple gradual rises, mostly grass with about 50 meters of gravel path.
Last Year at the Ron Pynn
Both UND teams claimed the team crown at the Ron Pynn Classic. The men's team finished the meet with 15 points, while the women's team accumulated 25 points.
In the men's 6K, Luke Labatte won the individual title with a 6K time of 18:27.1. Justin Jelaca was the runner-up with a time of 18:21.8, while Aleksa Milanovic took third in 18:53.9. UND had all of the top seven point scorers in the race.
Eliana Malnourie led the Fighting Hawks in the women's 5K, taking third with a time of 18:34.2. Conny Wohlfahrt (18:56.1) was fourth and Frida Giersdorff (19:14.6) took fifth to round out the top five. NoDak's point scorers were all within the top 10 runners to cross the finish line at the meet.
UND Men Ranked in USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Rankings
In the first USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Rankings released earlier this week, the North Dakota men's cross country team sits No. 13 in the poll to start the season. This marks just the fourth time a UND cross country team has been ranked in the Midwest Regional Rankings in school history. Previously, the Hawks were ranked No. 14 in the poll after week one of the 2012 season and also ranked No. 14 for two consecutive weeks last season.
Hawks to Watch
Earlier Wednesday morning, the Summit League announced the annual preseason poll, along with the names of four UND student-athletes who were named Athletes to Watch in the Summit League this season. Both North Dakota teams were tabbed to finish fourth in the preseason poll. The Hawks named Athletes to Watch were Frida Giersdorff, Eliana Malnourie, Ian Busche and Aleksa Milanovic.
Giersdorff finished 26th in the 6K at the Summit League Championships last season with a time of 22:32.0. She also ran in the 6K at the NCAA Midwest Regional and finished 147th in 23:08.9 to help the Fighting Hawks to their best regional finish in UND's Division I history. Giersdorff opened her collegiate running career at the Ron Pynn Classic last September and finished fifth with a 5K time of 19:14.6. She also clocked a season-best 5K time of 19:06.9 at the SDSU to take 28th and posted a season-best time of 22:11.5 in the 6K at the Paul Short Run to take 159th.
Malnourie was one spot shy of all-conference status at the Summit League Championships last season, taking 15th with a 6K time of 21:56.1. She was also 84th in the 6K at the NCAA Midwest Regional with a time of 22:15.9 to help North Dakota to its best regional finish in UND's Division I history. Malnourie opened the year at the Ron Pynn Classic and finished third in the 5K with a time of 18:34.2. She also placed fifth at the SDSU Classic with a 5K time of 18:08.5 and crossed the finish line 126th at the Paul Short Run in a 6K time of 21:57.6.
Busche clocked an 8K time of 26:00.0 at the Summit League Championships to take 32nd last season. He also crossed the finish line 139th at the NCAA Midwest Regional with a 10K time of 33:09.4 to help the Hawks to their best regional finish in Division I history. Busche began the year at the Ron Pynn Classic and placed sixth with a 6K time of 19:17.2 and was 23rd with a season-best time of 25:56.5 in the 8K at the SDSU Classic.
Milanovic finished 23rd in the 8K at the Summit League Championships with a time of 25:37.3. He also helped NoDak to its best regional finish in school history and had a 10K time of 33:51.4 and finished 166th at the NCAA Midwest Regional. He opened the season at the Ron Pynn Classic and placed third with a 6K time of 18:53.9 and clocked a season-best time of 25:13.6 in the 8K at the SDSU Classic to finish 14th. At the Paul Short Run, Milanovic took 174th with an 8K of 25:32.5.
On Tap
North Dakota will have next weekend off before visiting Moorhead, Minn., for the Dragon Twilight on Friday, Sept. 13.
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