Banner Season: Gryphons taking their marks to go for double OUA gold again
Burlington, Ont. – From fast running to strong jumping and just about everything in between, the Guelph Gryphons have been the crème of the crop at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Track & Field Championships over much of the last decade. They will enter the 2024 conference finale, running from February 23rd to 24th, with similar aspirations, but with a collection of podium-hungry competitors from across the province also taking their marks at the University of Windsor’s Toldo Lancer Centre this weekend, gold medal performances won’t come easy.
Championship Details:
When: Friday, February 23 to Saturday, February 24 | FULL SCHEDULE
Where: Toledo Lancer Centre (University of Windsor)
Participating Schools (14): Brock Badgers, Guelph Gryphons, Lakehead Thunderwolves, Laurentian Voyageurs, McMaster Marauders, Ottawa Gee-Gees, Queen’s Gaels, Toronto Varsity Blues, TMU Bold, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, Windsor Lancers (host), York Lions
Watch: oua.tv / cbcsports.ca / CBC Gem
Defending Champions: Guelph Gryphons (W), Guelph Gryphons (M)
Student Athletes to Watch:
Hillary Clark, Waterloo Warriors | Clark has had an outstanding season for the black and gold with top-ranked performances since January. The women’s captain is ranked in the Warriors all-time top-10 list over 600m, 1000m, 1500m, mile, 4x800m relay, and the 800m relay split. The decorated runner brings a strong ranking into the OUA Championships this weekend across several of those same events and will be poised to produce similarly strong showings for her Waterloo team.
Max Davies, Guelph Gryphons | Davies is no stranger to competition, or success, on the varsity stage, and the Toronto, Ont. standout is hoping for continued success with the Gryphons this weekend. He enters the OUA Championships as the top-ranked athlete in the 1000m, with a two-second advantage over the rest of the field, while also checking in at No. 2 in the 1500m, trailing the top-ranked competitor therein by just 0.08 seconds.
Jennifer Elizarov, Guelph Gryphons | The top-ranked pole vaulter in the country, Elizarov is entering the weekend with a 0.12m lead over the rest of her competitors in the event. It has already been a memorable season for the biomedical engineering major, as she not only set the school record in the event, but proceeded to break it just two weeks later with a jump of 4.20m.
Isabella Goveia, Windsor Lancers | Goveia has produced a huge season for the host Lancers, improving both in the 600m and 1000m races. Windsor will turn to the sophomore standouts to score points in both of those events, while also serving as a key member of their relay teams.
Shelley Hladin, Laurentian Voyageurs | Joining the Voyageurs this season, the newcomers from Chartierville, Que. jumped onto the scene quickly for Laurentian. Hladin has stood tall atop a couple of podiums this year for long jump, and entering her OUA Championships debut, is looking to leap to similar success in Windsor this weekend.
Michael Ivanov, Brock Badgers | A rookie showing to remember, Ivanov is back for his second crack at the OUA Championships, and if it goes as well as his debut in 2023, the Niagara Falls, Ont. native will be adding to his trophy case. The reigning rookie of the year finished third in the pole vault on the banner season stage last year and has his sights set on even more this time around.
Meghan Koo, TMU Bold | Koo, a PhD candidate in medical physics, has the fastest recorded time among the TMU women in the 60m sprint this season and has the second best 60m hurdles time in school history. She will put those skills to the test this weekend in both of those events, while also taking part in the 4x200m relay at this year’s OUA finale.
Victoria Lamb, McMaster Marauders | Lamb has had an impressive year on the track for McMaster. One of the top performing members of the Marauders, the London, Ont. local is nationally ranked in both the 1500m and 3000m, and is hoping to run in both at the national championships this year. The kinesiology major is the fifth fastest runner in the women’s 3000m and the sixth fastest in the 1500, with a personal best (9:35.93) set in the former earlier this year at the Michigan Invitational.
Doyin Ogunremi, Ottawa Gee-Gees | Veteran sprinter Ogunremi has logged an outstanding season leading into the OUA Championships. Fresh from a school record in the 300m at the Ravens Last Chance Meet one weekend ago, the health sciences major from Ottawa, Ont. sits seventh in the nation in the event and third in the OUA. Ogunremi is also a key member of the Gee-Gees’ 4x400m relay team contending for a medal at the OUA Championships.
Favour Okpali, Western Mustangs | The accolades go on and on for Okpali, and deservedly so as the OUA’s top-ranked competitor in the 600m distance. The London, Ont. local went undefeated in 600m university competition, including at Penn State, and has even broken a 41-year old school record in the category. A three-time OUA medalist, Okpali will also enter the weekend ranked second across the conference in both the 300m and 4x400m relay.
Phoebe Price-Roberts, Toronto Varsity Blues | Price-Roberts joined the Blues this season as a graduate student with plenty of NCAA experience, previously competing at Cornell University. She has made an immediate impact in her first campaign with the Blues, registering the best weight throw distance among OUA competition and second best among all U SPORTS competitors throughout invitational meets this year. The Lake Country, B.C. product placed first in the weight throw at five events this year.
Tyriq Quayson, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks | Quayson joined the Laurier squad following the football season and is rounding into form heading into the OUA Track & Field Championships. The computer science major from Maple, Ont. has already run a 9.93 for the 60m this year and will be leading off the Hawks’ 4x200m relay team who hopes to be in medal contention this weekend.
Jude Wheeler-Dee, Queen’s Gaels | There was very little that Wheeler-Dee didn’t do at last year’s OUA Track & Field Championships. The Kingston, Ont. local shone for his hometown school, claiming conference titles in both the 1000m and 1500m races, while also going on to claim U SPORTS gold in the former. The 2023 OUA MVP is poised for another podium-filled weekend on the track for the Tricolour.
Storylines to Keep an Eye On:
Brock’s focus this weekend remains on building blocks, as both of their squads look to establish themselves on the provincial stage. Buoyed by strong performances in the lead up to this weekend’s finale, the St. Catharines squad to hoping to keep their momentum rolling not only into this year’s championships, but for future years as well.
Title defence is the name of the game for the Gryphons this weekend, something they have been able to do successfully for much of the last decade. With the men’s side entering competition on a seven-year winning streak and the women’s team checking in at just one year less, the No. 1 and No. 2 nationally-ranked squads from Guelph, respectively, have only one goal in mind this weekend.
The Marauders have a combined six first-year runners competing at this weekend’s OUA Championships across both the men’s and women’s teams and the maroon machine’s bevy of young talent is looking to impress on the provincial stage. The cornerstone of the McMaster track program, meanwhile, is their 4x800m relays, both of whom rank in the top-seven nationally and are looking to medal at the event in Windsor.
When it comes to Queen’s, it is the women’s 4x800m squad that is hoping to land on the podium this year and continue to lower their school record. Individually, meanwhile, the Gaels are hoping to improve upon their OUA rankings and try to put some people on the podium, despite being a young group. On the men’s side, the Kingston bunch started out slow this indoor season, but have come on recently with many all-time school bests, and they hope to see anywhere from two to seven student-athletes on the medal stand at the end of the weekend.
Backed by excellent depth of talent in the field, the Toronto Varsity Blues are looking to contend for an overall medal on the women’s side, turning to the likes of Price Roberts, high jump specialist Emma Dale, pole vaulter Alexandra Throndson, and veterans Kristen Shulz and Jasmine Lew. The Blues’ men’s contingent will be relying on a mix of veteran talent and incoming first-year standouts to try and keep pace for a top-three overall finish for a third consecutive season.
TMU had several new student-athletes join the women’s team this year and have shown great potential on the women’s side, especially in their 4x200m relay with a new school record. The team has undergone a growth phase in terms of number of athletes and individual development. A number of returning athletes on the men’s side have achieved multiple team records this season, meanwhile, and with a mix of sprinters, jumpers, and distance runners, the team is bringing high versatility heading into this year’s banner season finale.
Backed by a strong leadership contingent, including Clark on the women’s side and Owen Babcock of the men’s team, Waterloo is poised to produce a positive result this weekend. The latter returned to the Warriors to pursue his master’s degree and finish his eligibility. The team record holder across multiple events headlines the team’s medal hopefuls that also include their 4x200m and 4x400m relays. Celia Markovinovic, meanwhile, hopes to defend her last two championship medals in high jump.
The Western men are a deep team with athletes in scoring positions in all but one event. With positive performances meet after meet, the Mustangs are building on that momentum and ready for challenge for the elusive OUA title after placing second overall a year ago. It was a matching result for the Western women in 2023, and they will collectively bring seven student-athletes who lead the OUA in their respective events. Beyond the top end talent, there is also plenty of depth that has the London squad looking like serious banner contenders this weekend.
Both of the Windsor squads have their sights set on a podium finish on their home turf. They have scored a very strong season to date, and if they perform this weekend like they have throughout the season, the Lancer faithful could be treated to a top-three showing from the host’s competitors.
What They’re Saying:
“The Badgers men are coming off a strong pre-championship season. The team is looking to improve on and move up from their 10th place finish from last year and build on the success we have had so far. The women’s team is looking to build off of a strong end of the season last weekend in Windsor with multiple season bests. We’re hoping to build on the momentum from 2023 to cultivate a program of excellence for the future.” – Spencer House, Head Coach, Brock Badgers
“We continue to evolve and improve as a team. The number of athletes we have competing with OUA qualifiers continues to be our goal at this meet. We’re hoping to continue to add to our medal counts, overall placing/rankings, and personal bests.” – Mark Bomba, Head Coach, Queen’s Gaels
“Our returning and graduating students have done a remarkable job of mentoring, teaching, and guiding our new athletes when it comes to work ethic, striving for excellence, and leading by example. I believe it has put the team in a position where we should see everyone perform well this weekend. – Will Lanktree, Head Coach, TMU Bold
“We’re filled with pride and anticipation as we look forward to witnessing the culmination of our team’s hard work this weekend. With a blend of seasoned veterans and enthusiastic young talents, our top athletes have been instrumental in fostering a cohesive and contagious spirit of positivity over the past several months. This positive energy promises to resonate far beyond this weekend, laying a strong foundation for continued success in the years ahead.” – Kate Bickle-Ferth & Shane Ferth, Co-Head Coaches, Waterloo Warriors
“This year is very exciting for our team, as we have so many athletes having career-defining seasons. Everyone wants to win more than ever, and based on our rankings, we have all the pieces we need for two OUA championship titles. We are more than ready to execute at OUAs.” – Vickie Croley, Head Coach, Track & Field
“I think this year we have seen both the women’s and men’s teams take a huge leap compared to last season where they both finished in fourth, mere points away from a podium position. The veterans have been leading the way and the rookies have been following their lead, which bodes well for our future.” – Colin Inglis, Head Coach, Windsor Lancers