MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – For the second time in program history, the Pacific cross country program will run on Friday morning in the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational, hosted by Minnesota at Les Bolstad Golf Course.

The Tigers enter the competition following a strong performance at the Big Wave Invitational two weeks ago where the men captured its first team title in program history while the women posted a runner-up finish in Hawaii. On Friday, the men will open the Roy Griak Invitational running the 8k at 8 a.m. PT, followed by the women's 6k at 8:45 a.m. PT.

Leading the first of nine straight Pacific men's participants last time out was Kohl Sanders, who clocked in a time of 18:55.30.  His time officially counts as the first Pacific men's runner to finish a 6k in program history and secured him the West Coast Conference men's runner of the week award during the week of Sept. 8.

Junior Samuel Lanham represents the first Tiger to have crossed the finish line this season in an 8k, clocking a time of 25:19.4. He secured 24th place individually at the season-opening meet in Golden Gate Park.

Last race, sophomore Angelina Lione was the first Tiger to cross the finish line in the 4k with a time of 13:58.10, breaking the previous Pacific mark of 15:50.0 by Becky Grabow at the 2013 Nevada Twilight Cross Country Classic. It marks the second race this year that Lione has finished first for Pacific after earned that feat at the USF Invitational.

Like Sanders, Lione was named WCC women's runner of the week during the Sept. 8 week following her record-setting performance at the Big Wave Invitational. Lione joined freshman Emma Schmutz and junior Valeria Espinoza in competing their first 6k of the season in San Francisco with times under the 22:30 mark and placements in the top 50.

Friday's meet in Minnesota marks the second time the Tigers are suiting up in the Roy Griak Invitational with their first appearance coming in 2019. Pacific finished the women's race with 449 points as a team, taking 15th place out of the 16-team field that year.

Live scoring for both races on Friday can be found here.

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