November 5, 2014

OUA Announces 2014 Cross Country Major Awards and All-Stars

The Guelph Gryphons dominated the OUA Cross Country Championships and major award winners in 2014.

On the women's side, Heather Petrick (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.) took home women's gold at the OUA Championships and led her team to a gold as well. Petrick, the 2013 Rookie of the Year winner, was named the season's Most Valuable Player and a first-team all-star. Two other Gryphons, Katrina Allison (Vancouver, B.C.) and Katelyn Ayers (Orillia, Ont.), who finished fifth and seventh respectively at the OUA Championship, joined Petrick on the first-team. Four Gryphons were named Second-Team All-Stars: Carise Thompson (Lynden, Ont.), Sophia Watts (Halifax, N.S.), Madeline Yungblut (Wroxeter, Ont.), and Jenn Dowling-Medley (Fergus, Ont.).

The Guelph men's team had four runners named OUA First-Team All-Stars as the team swept the first four spots at the OUA Championships. Gryphon Ross Proudfoot (Sudbury, Ont.) closed out his OUA career with an individual gold, season MVP and a first-team all-star selection. In his five years at Guelph, Proudfoot won two individual titles and never finished lower than fourth at the OUA Championships.

Tristan Woodfine (Cobden, Ont.), Yves Sikubwabo (Ottawa, Ont.), and Aaron Hendrikx (Parkhill, Ont.) closed out the Gryphons podium sweep finishing 2-3-4 behind Proudfoot. All three were named first-team all-stars for their role in the Gryphons 10^th consecutive OUA Championship. Christian Gravel (Vancouver, B.C.) was the lone Gryphon men's runner to receive second-team honours, he finished 12^th at the OUA Championships.

Guelph's head coach Dave Scott-Thomas was named both OUA Men's Coach of the Year and OUA Women's Coach of the Year. It was the eighth time he has won the awards since the 2001-02 season, and has overseen the women's team win 11 consecutive OUA Championships and the men's team win 10 in a row.

The host Queen's Gaels had four runners from its men's and women's teams named OUA All-Stars. Making the first-team was Julie-Anne Staehli (Lucknow, Ont.), who had the best finish of any Gaels runner winning individual bronze. Claire Sumner (Calgary, Alta.) joins Staehli on the first-team, she finished sixth at the OUA Championship. Charlotte Dunlap (Ottawa, Ont.) rounded out the Gaels women's selections, receiving second-team honours. Queen's took home the team bronze in the women's event.

Alex Wilkie (Almonte, Ont.) was the Gaels lone men's all-star. He was named to the first-team after finishing fifth at the OUA Championship. Also from the Gaels, Eric Wynands (Lyn, Ont.) took home the Rookie of the Year Award. He was the top-placing first-year running at the OUA Championship with a 27^th place finish.

The Western Mustangs women captured a team silver in the OUA Championship, thanks in large part to the efforts of Amanda Truelove (Barrie, Ont.) and Melissa Caruso (Toronto, Ont.). Leading the way was Truelove; she just missed an individual podium finish coming in fourth place, and was named an OUA First-Team All-Star. Caruso finished 14^th at the event and was named a second-team all-star.

The Windsor Lancers men's team took home a silver at the OUA Championship and had three runners named second-team all-stars. Corey Bellemore (Windsor, Ont.), Matt Traveglini (London, Ont.) and Paul Janikowski (LaSalle, Ont.) received all-star honours after finishing 8-11-13 en route to the team silver. On the women's side, Stefanie Smith (London, Ont.) was the lone Lancer all-star. She was named to the second-team after finishing 10^th at the OUA Championship.

The McMaster men's squad took home a bronze medal for the school, and had two runners named OUA all-stars. Taylor Forbes (Dundas, Ont.) was the lone Marauder named a first-team all-star, he finished seventh at the OUA Championship, while Connor Darlington (Whitby, Ont.) was named to the second-team after finishing 14^th. For his efforts beyond the trails, Gabriel Ghiglione (Toronto, Ont.) was recognized with OUA Men's Community Service Award. Ghiglione is the president of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Society at McMaster where he has raised awareness on campus for the disease through the organization of community engagement events. In addition, this past summer he was involved with a two-day program at Cathy Weaver Public School volunteering with at risk children.

Though they didn't win a team medal, the Lakehead Thunderwolves men's team turned in a very strong performance at the OUA Championship and had three runners named OUA all-stars. Kevin Tree (Tottenham, Ont.) capped off a great regular season with sixth-place finish at the OUA Championship and was named to the first-team. His teammates Dominque Aulagnon (Thunder Bay, Ont.) and Dylan Brown (Newmarket, Ont.) received second-team all-stars.

Gabriela Stafford (Toronto, Ont.) of the Toronto Varsity Blues continues to be one of the top female cross-country runners in the conference. She took home an individual silver medal at the OUA Championship, and she is the Blues lone all-star after being named the first-team.

This year's OUA Women's Community Service Award was given to Laurentian's Michelle Kennedy (London, Ont.). A true leader in her community, Kennedy's volunteer activities are not only extensive, but also come in a wide variety. Along with helping a vision-impaired runner, she has also volunteered her time teaching indigenous students in Moose Factory, Ont. and Ecuador. As an athlete, she has improved in each of her four season and has maintained a strong academic average.

From the Ottawa Gee-Gees, Katie Phillips (Kleinberg, Ont.) takes home the Rookie of the Year award. Phillips was the top rookie at the OUA Championship, finishing 29^th overall.

OUA MAJOR AWARDS

Women's MVP

Heather Petrick (Guelph)

Women's Rookie of the Year

Katie Phillips (Ottawa)

Women's Community Service Award

Michelle Kennedy (Laurentian)

OUA Women's Coach of the Year

Dave Scott-Thomas

Men's MVP

Ross Proudfoot (Guelph)

Men's Rookie of the Year