Munir Is Straight Money In 2021 Season Opener

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (9/04/21)---Senior Munir Isahak lived up to his nickname of "Money" as he cruised to a fourth-place finish at the season-opening UND Ron Pynn Invitational.

Isahak's Top 5 finish is made even more impressive considering the other two teams in the meet were NCAA Division I scholarship programs. To push his season-opening resume even more eye-opening, Isahak finished higher than any runner from North Dakota State.

Isahak was one of three Cobber athletes to cross the line in the Top 20 of the meet as CC showed very well in the opening meet for first-year head coach Maddie Van Beek – a former NDSU All-American.

Isahak was able to cover the 6K course in a time of 18:22.5 which was less than 10-seconds off the runner-up finisher. Munir's fourth-place finish marks his first Top 5 finish since the 2018 season when he was third at the Jamestown Invite.

Sophomore Leo Smith continued his upward trend from the spring track season as he was the team's No.2 finisher. He came home in 19:02.9 which was good for 13th place. Smith's finish would have also put him in the Top 5 scorers for DI NDSU.

Freshman Joe Lee showed no signs of nerves in his first collegiate meet. He was the third Cobber harrier to post a Top 20 finish. Lee ran a 19:22.3 which was No.18 in the individual standings.

Senior Nolan Christenson and sophomore Tanner Olson completed the Top 5 for CC – and both put up career-best times. Christenson was just outside the Top 20 with a 21st-place finish at 19:37.5. Olson ran a 19:52.6 which gave the Cobbers five Top 25 finishers.        

UP NEXT: Munir will look to lead the Cobbers in the second meet of the season when they compete in the MSU Moorhead Twilight Invitational on Friday, Sept. 10 at 8:10 p.m.