XC’s Houlihan Wins Second Career Griak Invite Race
MINNEAPOLIS—Arizona State cross country’s senior Shelby Houlihan won the Jack Johnson Women’s 6k race at the Roy Griak Invitational in 20:34.5 on Saturday at the Les Bolstad Golf Course.
In the 29-year history of the event, only three women have ever won the women’s collegiate race in back-to-back years: Fran ten Bensel of Nebraska in 1990 and 1991, Providence’s Kim Smith in 2003 and 2004, and now Houlihan in 2013 and 2014.
Former Sun Devils Amy Hastings (2005) and Kari Hardt (2008) are the other two Sun Devils who have won the event.
Houlihan has now won a race in each of the last three seasons, and the last time that occurred for a Sun Devil runner was when Hastings won five races from 2003 to 2005.
As a team, the Sun Devils placed four finishers in the top-50 to finish sixth out of the 35 teams with 222 points. Last season, ASU finished 10th with 283 points.
Junior Adriana Olivas finished in 24th at 22:00.0, improving her placement from the 2013 race, while freshman Kirsten Olling placed 46th at 22:21.0, and sophomore Jenna Maack rounded out the top-4 with a 49th-place finish at 22:22.8. Also scoring for ASU was Anna Long, who crossed the finish line in 23:11.5.
In the men’s 8k race, sophomore Bernie Montoya matched this placement from 2013 as he finished 28th to lead the Sun Devils to an eight-place finish out of 31 teams.
Ryan Norton finished second for the ASU men in 25:40.9 for 31st, while CJ Albertson took 49th in 25:55.0.
Southern Utah won the men’s race with 142 points and three men in the top-30, including its own Nate Jewkes, who won the event in 24:45.4. Michigan State won the women’s race with 66 points as it placed four runners in the top-20.
Up next for the ASU cross country teams is the Thunderbird Classic on Saturday, Oct. 11.
ASU Women’s Results:
Team:
6—Arizona State (221 points)
Individual:
1—Shelby Houlihan (20:34.5)
24—Adriana Olivas (22:00.0)
46—Kirsten Olling (22:21.0)
49—Jenna Maack (22:22.8)
102—Anna Long (23:11.5)
108—Miranda Kewley (23:15.6)
111—Payton Schutte (23:19.5)
195—Cristina Juan Torres (24:04.7)
316—Chiara Warner (25:39.9)
347—Kala Stone (27:54.0)
ASU Men’s Results:
Team:
8—Arizona State (258 points)
Individual:
28—Bernie Montoya (25:36.4)
31—Ryan Norton (25:40.9)
49—CJ Albertson (25:55.0)
62—Ryan Herson (26:07.5)
88—Cody Brazeal (26:21.4)
174—Jeff Bickert (27:48.7)
198—Daniel Wong (28:42.1)