By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota cross country teams finally kick off their 2018 season on Saturday, taking part in the Augsburg Invitational at Hyland Greens Golf Course.
 
The Augsburg Invitational Field:
• Augsburg, Beloit, Bethany Lutheran, Bethel, Saint Benedict, St. Scholastica, Crown, Finlandia, Gustavus, Hamline, Macalester, Minnesota Running Club, Minnesota State-Mankato, North Central, St. Catherine, St. Cloud State, Saint John's, Saint Mary's, St. Olaf, St. Thomas, University of Minnesota, UM-Duluth, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls, UW-Superior, Winona State, Willamette
 
Saint Mary's Last Action:
• Saturday's Augsburg Invitation is the season-opener for both the Cardinal men's and women's teams.
 
Saint Mary's at Augsburg Invitational—A Year Ago:
• August 31, 2013 * Minneapolis, Minn.: The Cardinals got their seasons off and running, placing fourth in both the men's and women's races at the season-opening Augsburg Invitational at Riverside Park | Recap
 
Saint Mary's Up Next:
• The Cardinals are back in action on Sept. 28, heading to Eau Claire, Wis., to take part in the UW-Eau Claire Invitational.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
Men's Roster * Women's Roster | Schedule | Statistics
 • For the fifth time in as many meets, Austin O'Hare (Rushford, Minn.) led the way for the Cardinal men at the 2017 season-ending NCAA Central Regional—his final collegiate race—stopping the clock in 26:06 to place 43^rd overall. … O'Hare's regional time was 17 seconds faster than his All-MIAC, 12^th-place showing at the conference championships on Oct. 28. … With his 12^th-place finish at the MIAC Championships earned the Cardinal senior his first First-Team All-MIAC honor. … O'Hare clocked a lifetime-best 25:58 8K time at the Jim Drews Invitational on Oct. 14—he was one of eight Saint Mary's male runners to post a lifetime PRs at the meet. … O'Hare, who won the men's individual title at the Bethany Lutheran Invitational on Sept. 29, shaved nearly a minute off his previous season-best time with his 25:58 at the Jim Drews Invitational. … O'Hare was one of three Cardinal seniors who closed out their collegiate careers at the NCAA Central Regional. He was joined by Brandon Krogman (Owatonna, Minn.) and Alicia Berkenes (Buffalo, Minn.). … Krogman was the second Cardinal across the finish line at the NCAA Central Regional with a time of 27:20, with Jordan Malikowski (Royalton, Minn. / 27:59), Isaiah Olsem (Fulda, Minn. / 28:07), Ben Borash (Bowlus, Minn. / 28:16), Jon Meaden (Rosemount, Minn. / 28:26), and Tanner Moris (Crandon, Wis. / 29:09) rounding out the Saint Mary's lineup. … Danielle Franke (Mounds View, Minn.) led the charge for the Cardinal women at the NCAA Central Regional, posting a 6K time of 24:36. … Along with Franke's 24:36, the Cardinal women also got a 25:19 from Alyssa Thiel (Berlin, Wis.), while Alicia Berkenes (Buffalo, Minn.)—the lone senior on the Saint Mary's squad) chipped in a 25:53 in her final collegiate race. Emily Ortiz (Albert Lea, Minn. / 26:38), Erika Thiel (Burr Ridge, Ill. / 27:51), Molly Sweet (Prescott, Wis. / 28:08), and Maddie Bollig (St. Croix Falls, Wis. / 29:19) completed the Cardinals' top seven. … Franke's 24:36 and Alyssa Thiel's 25:19 at the NCAA Central Regional were both season-best times. … Berkenes also posted a season-best time in her final collegiate meet, stopping the clock in 25:53—40 seconds faster than her previous best.