ST. PAUL, MN – For the second straight year, Dawson Strom paced the University of Mary men's cross country team at the Roy Griak Invitational, placing 19^th overall in one of the largest and most prestigious meets in the nation.
 
Strom completed the Jo Rider Men's Maroon 8K race in a clocking of 26:06.0 in his first outing of the season at this distance. The Moorhead, MN, native had a strong start and was among the top 10 throughout the first 5000 meters before slightly dropping over the last third of the competition.
 
Among runners from the Northern Sun, Strom was 6^th. He finished 16^th overall at Griak in 2021.
 
A total of 400 runners and 29 teams competed for the Maroon title.
 
Robert White was the second UMary runner to finish the 8K race, placing 40^th overall with a clocking of 26:29.9. Fellow sophomore Guillermo Fregoso claimed 64^th in 26:53.2.
 
Two more underclassmen rounded out the team scoring for UMary. Freshman Caleb Hansen placed 112^th (27:27.3) and sophomore Isaac Anderson 178^th (28:26.2).
 
Also racing for UMary was Ian Sande (196^th / 28:45.7), Jaxsyn Olson (231^st / 29:13.8) and Brian Miller (257th / 29:44.8).
 
The Marauders finished 10^th overall in the team standings with a team score of 304. Michigan Tech won the 2022 Griak with 62 points, followed by Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Sioux Falls, Indiana Wesleyan, Dordt, Central College, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State and Minot State with UMary rounding out the top ten.
 
The Marauders will compete inside North Dakota for the first time this season when UMary next competes at the Jimmie Invitational on Oct. 7.
 
#marauders#