FALCON HEIGHTS, MINN. -- Facing its sternest competition of the young season, the Drake men's cross country team finished 15th in the Roy Griak Invitational Saturday.

The Bulldogs tallied 461 points in the meet which featured some of the top cross country programs in the country. It also marked the first time this fall Drake had competed in an 8,000-meter race.

Senior Jeff Grassmeyer (Fremont, Neb.) led Drake by placing 31st in 25 minutes 30 seconds. One-hundred and sixty-seven runners competed in the meet.

"It was a tough course for our first 8,000 meter race of the season," said Drake cross country coach Dan Hostager. "I thought Grassmeyer ran extremely well and put himself in position to finish among the top runners."

Grassmeyer's 2008 cross country campaign was curtailed because of a foot injury but Hostager feels he can regain his form when he was one of the top runners in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2007.

"He (Grassmeyer) faded a little in the last mile," said Hostager. "He hasn't run an 8K in well over a year. He needs to get some experience at that distance against a nationally ranked caliber field."

Drake sophomore Colin Hagan (Wichita, Kan.) was 94th in 27:08, while junior Mike Bumgarner (Rosemount, Minn.) was 102nd in 27:28.

"Overall I'm not happy with our team finish and times," said Hostager. "But I'm pleased with our effort and that will pay off in October. This was a good experience leading to the NCAA Regionals."

Drake senior Zac Bales-Henry (Des Moines, Iowa) was 116th in 27:56. Drake sophomore Luke Schafer (Centennial, Colo.) was 118th in 28:06, while junior Colin Coomer (Overland Park, Kan.) was 119th in 28:25 and sophomore Derek Campbell (Sycamore, Ill.) 122nd in 29:02.

Junior Hassan Mead put the hammer down early and left little suspense in becoming Minnesota's first Roy Griak Invitational men's champion in the 24-year history of the event.

The Gophers' junior was runner-up last year, but left little doubt in winning this year's race. He built a 13-second lead through the first mile and maintained that cushion, finishing with a winning time of 24:38. Iowa State's Guor Majak finished second in 24:51.

Iowa State, which entered the meet ranked 25th nationally, captured the team title with 71 points. Oklahoma was second with 74, while Duke was third with 94. Host Minnesota, which was ranked 17th nationally, finished fourth with 101 points.