University of St. Thomas Athletics
Friday, September 18
Mendota Heights, Minn.
10:30 a.m. CT
at
Roy Griak Invitational
Olivia Pauly runs at the 2025 Roy Griak Invitational
Photo by: George Dannecker
Pauly and VanAcker break Cross Country record, Poppler leads men at Griak Invite
9/18/2026 3:33:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
Women place 4th of 17 teams, men take 6th of 18 in at Fort Snelling Golf Course
MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. – The University of St. Thomas women's cross-country team saw its program record bested by two Tommies Friday morning while the men placed sixth of 18 teams at the Roy Griak Invitational in Mendota Heights, Minn.
Junior Olivia Pauly led St. Thomas in the 6K, placing 28th in 20:58.8 with a 5:37.6 average mile. Pauly set the program's 6,000-meter record, breaking her own program-best time. Freshman Anna VanAcker followed in 29th at 21:00.2, also breaking the previous program record. Junior Olivia Goebel finished 31st in 21:04.7 while sophomore Lindsay Berg added a 36th-place finish in 21:10.3.
Sophomore Casey Poppler placed 20th in the men's 8k in 24:22.8 and scored 20 points. Senior Max Westerlund finished 33rd in 24:46.8 with a score of 31, while junior Ben Stricker placed 35th in 24:50.9 and scored 32. Sophomore Nate Meyer added a 36th-place finish in 24:51.0 with a score of 33, and senior Isaac Nowak was 37th in 24:51.6 with a score of 34.
ST. THOMAS WOMEN'S SCORERS (6K)
28. Olivia Pauly - 20:58.8, 25 points
29. Anna VanAcker - 21:00.2, 26 points
31. Olivia Goebel - 21:04.7, 28 points
36. Lindsay Berg - 21:10.3, 31 points
38. Sophie Yetter - 21:11.9, 32 points
ST. THOMAS MEN'S SCORERS (8K)
20. Poppler - 24:22.8, 20 points
33. Westerlund - 24:46.8, 31 points
35. Stricker - 24:50.9, 32 points
36. Meyer - 24:51.0, 33 points
37. Nowak - 24:51.6, 34 points
QUOTEABLES
Head Coach Ashley Lucas's thoughts following the season-opening Phoenix Open:
"Today, we didn't fully execute our plan. We got buried that first 1,000 meters and had to work that much harder to move up. They did move up well, they packed well, but we need to get out better from the gun. Our biggest thing is to learn from it and apply it to the next one."
Head Coach Pete Wareham's thoughts following the Roy Griak Invitational:
"This was a good early season meet for our team. We bring back a lot of positives. Ben Stricker, Nate Meyer, Isaac Nowak, and Eli Horeled did a great job today. Overall, it looks like we made progress compared to where we were a couple weeks ago. We look forward to keeping going and continuing to get better."
UP NEXT
Both teams will run next on Friday, Oct. 2 at the Joe Piane Invitational hosted by Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Cross Country, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @TommieXCTF. For more information on St. Thomas Men's and Women's Cross Country, follow along on Instagram at @tommiemtfxc and @tommiewxctf. Tommie Athletics is now on TikTok at @TommieSports.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Junior Olivia Pauly led St. Thomas in the 6K, placing 28th in 20:58.8 with a 5:37.6 average mile. Pauly set the program's 6,000-meter record, breaking her own program-best time. Freshman Anna VanAcker followed in 29th at 21:00.2, also breaking the previous program record. Junior Olivia Goebel finished 31st in 21:04.7 while sophomore Lindsay Berg added a 36th-place finish in 21:10.3.
Sophomore Casey Poppler placed 20th in the men's 8k in 24:22.8 and scored 20 points. Senior Max Westerlund finished 33rd in 24:46.8 with a score of 31, while junior Ben Stricker placed 35th in 24:50.9 and scored 32. Sophomore Nate Meyer added a 36th-place finish in 24:51.0 with a score of 33, and senior Isaac Nowak was 37th in 24:51.6 with a score of 34.
ST. THOMAS WOMEN'S SCORERS (6K)
28. Olivia Pauly - 20:58.8, 25 points
29. Anna VanAcker - 21:00.2, 26 points
31. Olivia Goebel - 21:04.7, 28 points
36. Lindsay Berg - 21:10.3, 31 points
38. Sophie Yetter - 21:11.9, 32 points
ST. THOMAS MEN'S SCORERS (8K)
20. Poppler - 24:22.8, 20 points
33. Westerlund - 24:46.8, 31 points
35. Stricker - 24:50.9, 32 points
36. Meyer - 24:51.0, 33 points
37. Nowak - 24:51.6, 34 points
QUOTEABLES
Head Coach Ashley Lucas's thoughts following the season-opening Phoenix Open:
"Today, we didn't fully execute our plan. We got buried that first 1,000 meters and had to work that much harder to move up. They did move up well, they packed well, but we need to get out better from the gun. Our biggest thing is to learn from it and apply it to the next one."
Head Coach Pete Wareham's thoughts following the Roy Griak Invitational:
"This was a good early season meet for our team. We bring back a lot of positives. Ben Stricker, Nate Meyer, Isaac Nowak, and Eli Horeled did a great job today. Overall, it looks like we made progress compared to where we were a couple weeks ago. We look forward to keeping going and continuing to get better."
UP NEXT
Both teams will run next on Friday, Oct. 2 at the Joe Piane Invitational hosted by Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Cross Country, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @TommieXCTF. For more information on St. Thomas Men's and Women's Cross Country, follow along on Instagram at @tommiemtfxc and @tommiewxctf. Tommie Athletics is now on TikTok at @TommieSports.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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