MINNEAPOLIS, MN – In a field of 324 runners, University of Mary senior Alyssa Becker stood above the rest. Her time of 21:54.5 was the best at the Roy Griak Invitational earlier today, the massive meet hosted by the University of Minnesota. Becker's victory helped the nationally 14^th ranked UMary women's cross country team place second out of 24 NCAA Division II and Division III teams at the event.

Becker is the third UMary runner to win the Griak. Past champions are national champions Ida Narbuvol (2019) and Lexi Zeis (2017, 2016, 2015). 

The only team to best the Marauders was #4 Augustana University. The Vikings accumulated 45 points while UMary ended the day with 91. Out of runners who contributed to team scoring, Becker and Kristine Kalthoff were both in the top three. Kalthoff's time was an impressive 22:28.5 in the 6,000m Les Bolstad Golf Course track, placing her in fourth overall.

Andrijana Fundak's time of 23:15.7 earned her the 12^th overall spot. Four-time track and field All-American Elizabeth Acheson was next with a time of 23:37.0, placing 18^th overall. Her twin sister, Grace, rounded out the scoring with a 24:43.5 in 65^th overall.

Becker, who was third in last year's Roy Griak Invitational, earned her first victory since last year's Dragon Twilight Invitational in Moorhead, MN on Sept. 8, 2023. It's the fifth victory of her outstanding Marauders career, but none have come in a bigger race.

Full results from the Roy Griak Invitational can be found here.

Becker and the 14^th-ranked Marauders will look to continue their momentum into October as they will partake in the SDSU Classic on Friday, Oct. 4. The event will take place in Brookings, SD, hosted by South Dakota State University.

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