GCU finishes strong at Dave Murray Invitational

Friday, September 15

Tucson, AZ

Grand Canyon

Dave Murray Invitational

9/15/2017 10:18:00 PM | Cross Country

2017 Dave Murray Invite Results - Men's 2017 Dave Murray Invite Results - Women's

GCU men finish above ASU for first time in school history

By: Fletcher Like

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Grand Canyon men's and women's cross country team continued to take positive strides forward just the second race of the 2017 season. The men's team, led by sophomore Brendan Wagler, finished second overall as a team. The women's team, led by sophomore Elizabeth Balsan, finished third overall as a team.

After the race, GCU head coach Sara Slattery said, "Wagler and Daniel Flores raced really well. Angel Salazar improved a lot from last year and from two weeks ago but I think he can, and want him to be closer to the top two guys. Jonny Holsten ran a smart race and moved up to help score vital points."

Holsten passed two ASU runner's down the stretch that helped move GCU into second place as a team, beating Arizona State by two points, the first time the program had finished above ASU in program history.

"As a whole, I think our team is built to run 8k races and I think that is where we will be successful this year. We held out Matthew Anciaux and I think that would have helped us today and he will help us this year," Slattery said.

A 6k race in total length through a 2k loop at Dell Urich Golf Course in Tucson, Arizona, Wagler finished fifth overall in the field with a time of 19:43.2. Flores crossed second for GCU with a time of 19:46.7, Holsten pushed hard at the end to finish with a time of 20:09.5, Andrew Mitchell pushed for points with a time of 20:45.0, and Salazar rounded out the five racers scoring points for GCU with a 20:56.4 race time.

"On the women's side, I am happy with how the women raced," Slattery added. "Paige Hildebrandt improved a lot this year and ran a tough race. Kaitlyn Volk, in her first race ran well and will improve over the season, she's great at longer distances and will do well at the 5k and 10k. Erika Wallace, Kellie Stroupe and Makayla Cordova ran well but we need to close the gap in the top five to finish strong as a team."

Balsan finished with a time of 14:55.4 over the 4k race, on the same 2k loop, crossing the finish line eighth overall in the field. Rounding out the five point scorers for GCU, Mariah Montoya finished in 15:09.9, Hildebrandt crossed in 15:20.8, Volk sprinted to the line in 15:54.1, and Stroupe was the fifth Lope to cross with a time of 16:16.8.

When talking about the team as a whole, Slattery said, "I am happy with where the team is at right now. We are gearing towards November right now, the time of the year that matters the most."

Host, Arizona, won both the men's and women's races. GCU finished second in the men's race and ASU finished second in the women's race. Western New Mexico, Pima Community College, and unaffiliated runners also competed at the invitational.

Next up, the Lopes travels to Louisville, Kentucky Saturday, September 30, to race on the 2017 NCAA Cross Country National Championship course. "Louisville is going to be a learning experience for us, learning how to navigate a crowded field, a 25 team field, similar to what regionals will be like. It will be good to see what the Nationals course is like and for our athletes to be in competitive fields and learn how to race in those competitive fields."