The 33rd annual Roy Griak XC Invitational is this Saturday, September 29, in St. Paul, Minnesota, and will feature eight races across college and high school competition. FloTrack will be on-site live-streaming the 2018 event, which you can watch right here starting at 9:00 am CT on Saturday morning.

In the premier DI college races, the Minnesota Gophers are well-positioned to sweep the men’s and women’s team titles for the first time in school history. Both Gopher squads are the top returning teams from last season.

WATCH THE 2018 ROY GRIAK XC INVITATIONAL LIVE ON FLOTRACK

Here’s what to watch on Saturday in Minnesota: 

Merrill Fischbein Men’s Gold 8k (Division I) - Host Minnesota Battles Navy, Duke

The battle for the men’s DI gold title at Roy Griak on Saturday should be a tightly contested race between three teams that finished in the top 10 at last year’s meet: Minnesota, Navy, and Duke.

The Gophers have a clear advantage running on their home course, but last year’s fourth-place Griak team graduated three key members— including 2018 NCAA steeple champ Obsa Ali— and will have a different look this year. Still, Minnesota is the top returning team and will be favored accordingly.

The man to watch for Minnesota is sophomore Alec Basten; despite finishing just 29th at this meet in 2017, Basten is a different animal in 2018. He easily won his opener two weeks back in Nebraska— his first career win— in 24:17 and he’ll look to make a statement on his home course. Basten leads a young, but experienced group, as four of Minnesota’s top five from regionals a year ago return.

Check in with this week's Big Ten Athlete of the Week -- Alec Basten of #GophersXC. #Gophers are off this weekend with #Griak2018 a week from Saturday. pic.twitter.com/gXVsbdmjmK

— Minnesota M CC/TF (@GopherMCCTF) September 21, 2018

The Naval Academy is another squad with eyes on the top spot on Saturday. Juniors Jake Brophy and Kevin Murray are each off to fast starts, and both are very familiar with the Les Bolstad course at Minnesota. Murray finished 19th in the race last year, while Brophy was 36th for Navy’s seventh place squad.

Duke finished a spot behind Navy a year ago in St. Paul and brings back six of their top seven from that meet. They could certainly pull an upset with a good day on Saturday. The same goes for our sleeper squad, South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits had two top 25 runners at Griak last year, Chase Cayo and Kyle Burdick, and they will both be making their season debut in Minnesota.

Jack Johnson Women’s Gold 6k (Division I) - Hasz Twins Lead Minnesota Women

The top billing race on the women’s side has a clear favorite: Minnesota. The Gophers finished third at Griak last year, and they bring back four women who finished in the top 50 in 2017.

Almost time, #Gophers. #Griak2018 ✨ pic.twitter.com/0p2aKRgMMI

— Minnesota W TrackCC (@GopherWCCTF) September 26, 2018

UM has two aces in twins Bethany and Megan Hasz. The sisters each finished in the top five at last week’s Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown, and they placed in the top 15 at Griak a year ago as well. Expect the pair to run together at the front on Saturday.

Suzy Wilson Women’s Maroon 6k (Division II and III) - No. 4 U-Mary vs. No. 8 Augustana (S.D.) In DII Showdown

Two top 10 DII women’s squads in the FloXC Rankings will square off at Griak.

In a battle of the Dakotas, fourth-ranked U-Mary (North Dakota) and eighth-ranked Augustana (South Dakota) will have DII and regional bragging rights on the line this weekend. The Marauders of U-Mary took second at NCAAs last fall-- their first-ever podium finish-- and they bring back three of their top five from last season. Their leader is senior Jaiden Schuette, who is currently No. 7 in the DII FloXC individual rankings.

Augustana will be led by their own All-American, Mackenzie Kelly, who was fourth at Griak in 2017. Kelly and her Viking teammates should pose a strong early season challenge for U-Mary on Saturday.

Jo Rider Men’s Maroon 8k (Division II and III) - Defending Champs Augustana (S.D.), Mason Phillips Back For More

The No. 7 ranked Augustana (S.D.) men dominated the DII race at Griak last year by putting four men in the top 15, and all four are back in 2018. The Vikings won this race by nearly 100 points in 2017, and with so much experience returning for the defending Griak champs, a similar outcome seems likely on Saturday. However, a top junior college challenger awaits in Iowa Central CC, who finished runner-up at the Chile Pepper Invite at Arkansas just a week ago. 

The individual race will be the most compelling aspect to watch. Sioux Falls’ Mason Phillips was the first to the tape last year, and he’ll match up against his teammate, Steven Brown, and the talented quartet from Augustana. Those six guys, plus the Iowa Central contingent, should make for an entertaining 8,000m on Saturday morning.