Banner Season: Full field ready to run at championship races in North Bay
Burlington, Ont. – Ready, set, go! 17 teams are off to the races this weekend at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Cross Country Championships. The Nipissing Lakers will play host at the Osprey Links Golf Couse for the men's and women's 8km races, with defending champion Western Mustangs and Guelph Gryphons looking to prop themselves atop the podium once again.
EVENT DETAILS
Host: Nipissing Lakers
Date: October 26, 2024
Venue: Osprey Links Golf Course
Participating Teams: Seventeen (17)
Format: Women's Open Championship; Men's Open Championship
Tracking/Results: HERE
Past Champions: Western Mustangs (W); Guelph Gryphons (M)
ATHLETES TO WATCH
Julia Agostinelli, Toronto Varsity Blues | The 2023 OUA individual gold medal winner with the Guelph Gryphons is in her debut season with the Varsity Blues as she pursues a masters degree of physical therapy. She has podiumed at two events already and is looking for more, winning the Don Mills Open and placing second at the Western Invitational earlier this year.
Alyshia Alkerton, Queen's Gaels | Alkerton's story is unique as she was a walk on athlete one year ago and is now the 'race leader' of the Gaels. The Brockville, Ont. product's drive and intensity is expected to push the Queen's women's side to new heights in North Bay.
Paige Breedon, Waterloo Warriors | The Warriors' women's team performed exceptionally well at the Don Mills Open in Waterloo, with Breedon leading the way to earn a silver medal (21:28.7) and help the team secure a bronze finish. At the 8-Kay Marauder Invitational, the Barrie, Ont. native dominated for most of the race and took first place overall with an impressive time of 28:16.7.
Leif Buxton, Lakehead Thunderwolves | After taking the last seven months completely off from running due to injuries, Buxton has led the way for the Thunderwolves through the invitational events. Back, and better than ever, the Burnstown, Ont. native will also be looking to earn his first OUA all-star nod, fresh off several speedy 8km performances south of the border.
Jett Dobson, Lakehead Thunderwolves | Dobson has consistently improved each year thus far at the OUA championships. Coming off a personal best performance in his last 8km race of the season, the Thunder Bay, Ont. product will be looking to continue that momentum and run his way to an all-star outing on Saturday.
Madelyn Eybergen, Windsor Lancers | The sophomore from Kincardine, Ont. captured the individual gold medal at the Western Invitational, finished fourth overall at the Notre Dame Invitational, and second at the Marauder Invitational. Last season she also competed in track and field in high jump.
Jacob Fitzpatrick, Windsor Lancers | The fourth-year engineering student and local product was named an OUA all-star last year following his 11th-place finish. He will look to better that result this year when he leads his Lancers onto the banner season stage.
Ben Fox, Western Mustangs | Fox and the Mustangs will look to make the jump to the podium at the OUA championships after their fourth-place finish last fall. The Toronto, Ont. native had a successful season so far, crossing in sixth at the Marauder Bayfront Open, eighth at the Notre Dame Joe Piane Invitational, and sixth at the Vigars & Salter Western Invitational.
Dylan Garson, Algoma Thunderbirds | Garson is one of Algoma's top performers. Only in his second year, his progress has been exciting for the Thunderbirds to watch and he looks to make his mark at the OUA championships.
Sandra Guga, Western Mustangs | Heading into her third championships as a member of the reigning title holders, Guga will look to translate her strong season into a podium finish at the provincial finale. She was fifth at the Vigars & Salter Western Invitational, the top Mustang at the Notre Dame Joe Piane Invitational, and fourth at the Marauder Bayfront Open.
Isaac Iannarelli, Brock Badgers | Iannarelli had a tough start to this season due to illness and an injury back in August, but he's battled back to full fitness and is peaking at just the right time for the championships. The Hamilton, Ont. native led the Badgers in their most recent meet and is confident he can match or even exceed his performance from last year's championships.
Jack Lehto, Guelph Gryphons | The mechanical engineering student from Burlington, Ont. has finished in the top three of the races he has competed in, including a win at the Don Mills Open. Lehto and the Gryphons will look to repeat as OUA champions this year.
Lauren Macsai, Brock Badgers | Macsai has consistently been the Badgers fastest runner this season. Her dedication to off-season training in the spring and summer paid off with personal bests on the track, setting her up for a strong cross country season. The Port Colborne, Ont. native is already running significantly faster on the same courses compared to last year, and she will be a contender for the highest Brock women's finish in recent years.
Ana Morariu, McMaster Marauders | In 2021 as a rookie, she placed 37th in the OUA championships. Injuries affected her 2022 and 2023 cross country campaigns, but she is now back and better than ever. The Kincardine, Ont. native is coming off her best outdoor track season, setting personal bests in the 3000m and 1500m.
Angela Mozzon, Laurentian Voyageurs | Running in her final championships, Mozzon will be looking to help the Laurentian women's contingent move up the team leaderboard after last year's ninth-place finish.
Meghan Muldoon, TMU Bold | Muldoon, the second-year biomedical engineering student, has set personal bests in both her races this fall. The Bold's team captain is excited to show her stuff at the championships.
Alec Purnell, McMaster Marauders | During the 2024 season, Purnell placed fifth at the Western Invitational and at the 8-Kay Marauder Invitational. The fifth-year masters student from Dundas, Ont. led the Marauders to fourth-place team finishes in both races. Purnell's best result at the banner season finale has been ninth individually, while winning team gold and bronze medals in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Purnell has won multiple medals in the OUA and U SPORTS track and is coming off his best outdoor track season this summer, heading into the 2024 championships.
Ben Shore, Toronto Varsity Blues | Coming off a team and individual bronze medal at the OUA championships a year ago, the fifth-year chemical engineering student is ready to better those results this year on the course.
Jacques Tiessen, Waterloo Warriors | On the men's side of the Don Mills Open, Tiessen led the Warriors with a gutsy 11th-place finish (18:49.2). The men's team narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth overall. During the 8-Kay Marauder Invitational, the Elliot Lake, Ont. product continued his strong season with a 34th-place finish (26:24.5). The men's team secured sixth place, narrowly edging out the University of Toronto.
Keon Wallingford, Laurentian Voyageurs | The fourth-year psychology student is one the Voyageurs top runners. He will be pushing for a top-20 result on home soil in North Bay.
BURNING QUESTIONS
1. With a strong returning contingent, can the Western women defend their 2023 title?
2. Will the powerhouse Guelph Gryphons program see their men's runners repeat as OUA champions?
3. Can the Toronto Varsity Blues men's team achieve a top-three finish once again after their team bronze a season ago?
4. Can the Queen's Gaels women get over the fourth-place barrier and step onto the podium at this year's OUA championships?
5. After losing their first and fourth runner from last year's championship, can the Lakehead men earn a top five finish at the OUA championships?
6. Will the Brock Badgers women's squad be able to build on previous success and continue their strong momentum into the championships?
7. With a strong contingent of veteran runners and individuals challenging for top-10 finishes, can the Toronto women's team make the leap from a seventh-place team to a podium finish?
8. Can the No. 5 nationally ranked Mustangs men's team take an extremely successful season and translate it to a podium spot at the championships?
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
"As our athletes prepare for this weekend's OUA Championship race, excitement is building. They have demonstrated dedication and improvement throughout the season, and we expect many to achieve personal bests on the course. This event is not only about competition; it's an opportunity to showcase the hard work and commitment each athlete has put in. We are eager to see our runners elevate their performance!" - Danielle Dupuis, Assistant Coach, Algoma Thunderbirds
"Our primary goal is to match or exceed our performance from last year's championship. We know there are a few teams that will be tough competitors, and we're focused on finishing ahead of them. More than anything, we want this race to be a culmination of all the effort we've put in – the days, weeks, months, and even years of training. We want to seize this opportunity and show what we're capable of. Surgite!" - Kevin Moore, Head Coach, Brock Badgers
"I am excited to see our top seven women and men all compete as a team at the 2024 OUA Cross Country Championships. Both teams will be looking to place on the podium." - Paula Schnurr, Head Coach, McMaster Marauders
"I think the athletes have set their expectations for both individual and team performances quite high this year. But they have also set their work habits and dedication at much higher levels than I have previously seen." - Mark Bomba, Head Coach, Queen's Gaels
"This season our cross-country team has done very well both on the practice trails and in our races. We have had strong results and lots of fun doing it all, running with a smile every mile. Both our men's and women's teams believe in themselves and are ready to run at the championships." – Walter Faion, Head Coach, Toronto Varsity Blues
"I think we are all really excited about the upcoming OUA championships! We have been working really hard this past season and I'm excited for us to put our fitness to the test." - Paige Breedon, Student-Athlete, Waterloo Warriors
"With the experience and front-loaded talent of this team, the goal is for all 7 Mustang women to challenge for spots on the All-Conference 1st and 2nd Teams. If they run confidently in the lead pack as a group, they can defend their team championship." - Women's Team Coaches, Western Mustangs