PORTLAND, Ore. --- The University of Portland men's and women's cross country teams return to action on Saturday, Sept. 24 at the 31st annual Roy Griak Invitational at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn. 

"I want to use this meet to set the tone for the season," says men's head coach Rob Conner. "I'd love to see a very tight pack and tough team racing attitude."

The men are set to compete in the Merrill Fischbein Men's Gold Competition at 10:20 a.m. (Pacific) as one of 10 featured college and high school races. The women will compete later that day in the Jack Johnson Women's Gold Competition at 11:35 a.m. 30 teams for the men and 36 teams for the women are slated to run at the Griak Invitational, one of the nation's premier collegiate events. 
 
"The team is excited and ready to run hard," said women's head coach Ian Solof. "This is a highly competitive meet, but we have a tough group and I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do."
 
Both teams continue to hold USTFCCCA rankings this week, with the men moving up three spots to No.19, while the women held on to the No. 30 position. Both Pilot teams will be running their top runners at the Griak Invite with the men headed by junior Jeff Thies and the women led by two time All-American Lauren LaRocco. 
 
MENS USTFCCCA RANKINGS
RANK            SCHOOL, PREVIOUS
1                       Syracuse (12), 1
2                       Northern Arizona, 3
3                       Oregon,  2
4                       Stanford, 4
5                       Colorado, 5
6                       Arkansas, 6
7                       Georgetown, 7
8                       Eastern Kentucky, 9
9                       Oklahoma State, 10
10                     Wisconsin, 11
11                     Virginia, 13
12                     BYU, 14
13                     Indiana, 16
14                     Boise State, 17
15                     UTEP, 15
15                     Iona, 12
17                     Michigan, 18
18                     Mississippi, 20
19                     Oklahoma, 19
19                     Portland, 22
21                     Washington, 8
22                     Furman, 23
23                     NC State, 27
24                     Colorado State, 24
25                     Columbia, NR
26                     Southern Utah, 25
27                     Washington State, NR
28                     Tulsa, 26
29                     Penn,  29
30                     Michigan State, 30
Others Receiving Votes: Providence 40, Dartmouth 30, Louisville 27, Florida State 25, Illinois 19, Texas 18, Iowa State 11, Princeton 8, UCLA 5, Virginia Tech 3, Villanova 3, Middle Tennessee 2, Texas A&M 2
 
 WOMEN'S USTFCCCA RANKINGS
RANK          SCHOOL, PREVIOUS       
1                      New Mexico (8), 1                           
2                      Providence (3), 3                           
3                      Colorado (1), 2                           
4                      Oregon, 4                           
5                      NC State, 5                           
6                      Boise State, 6                           
7                      Stanford, 7                           
8                      Oklahoma State, 8                           
9                      Michigan State,  9                           
10                    Michigan, 10                         
11                    Arkansas, 12                         
12                    Washington, 11                         
13                    Penn State, 13                         
14                    Virginia, 14                         
15                    Notre Dame, 15                         
16                    Syracuse, 16                         
17                    Iowa State, 17                         
18                    Georgetown, 18                         
19                    BYU,  21                         
20                    San Francisco, 19                         
21                    Kansas, 24                         
22                    Penn, 23                         
23                    Yale, 29                         
24                    Vanderbilt, 26                         
25                    Minnesota, 28                         
27                    Harvard, 26                         
28                    Weber State, 25                         
29                    Mississippi State, 19                         
30                   Portland, 30
                              
Others Receiving Votes: Princeton 30, Eastern Michigan 23, Texas 17, Villanova 16, William and Mary 15, Mississippi 12, California 10, Tulsa 7, Cornell 7, Columbia 3, Baylor 2, Ohio State 2, Wisconsin 2, Rice 1, Dartmouth 1.