Canada West Communications

Highlights:

• The 2016 U Sports cross country championships are slated for Saturday, November 12 at Université Laval
• Along with the national championships, the Canada West titles will be handed out to the highest conference finishers in both men's and women's cross country
• Victoria is looking to defend their men's conference and national title, while Trinity Western is the reigning Canada West champions on the women's side 

NEW WESTMINSTER - The top university cross country runners in Canada are headed to Université Laval this Saturday, as the 2016 U Sports cross country championships travel to la belle province. 

Looking to make it back-to-back national and Canada West men's titles are the Victoria Vikes, who ended Guelph's nine-year run atop the men's standings, besting the OUA champs by 13 points in 2015.

Victoria is led by fifth-year runner Shoayb Bascal, who finished 11th at last year's championship, helping the Vikes to the upset win over Guelph. Bascal enters the event in good form, after finishing fourth at the recent B.C. provincial championships.

Much like the men's side, women's cross country running at the university level has been dominated by Guelph since the turn of the century.

The Gryphons enter the weekend having won the previous 11 national championships.

Their closest competition last year came from a pair of Canada West schools, with the TWU Spartans finishing 17 points back, while the Calgary Dinos finished third (49 points back of TWU) in the team standings. 

Expected to lead the charge for the Spartans on Saturday is third-year Regan Yee, who has gotten off to a strong start to her 2016 season. 

She won both the University of Washington Sundodger Open and the University of Western Washington Classic before finishing second, to teammate Lisa Brooking, at the B.C. championships.

Last season Yee finished 10th at CIS nationals, and is expected to move up the individual standings this time around. 

In total, nine Canada West schools are sending runners to the national championships this weekend, with Victoria, Trinity Western and Calgary sending full teams of seven men and seven women. 

Also sending large contingents to the event are Manitoba (13), MacEwan (11), Alberta (10), and Saskatchewan (9). 

Both Regina (three men and one woman) and Thompson Rivers (one man, one woman) will send smaller squads, looking for strong individual performances when the meets begin at 1 p.m. (women 6km) and 1:40 p.m. ET (men 10 km).

For a complete look at each Canada West team, take a look at the previews below.

RECENT CANADA WEST AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

MEN'S CHAMPIONS

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS

TEAM PREVIEWS

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS AND PANDAS

2015 CW finish: 5^th (men’s), 4^th (women’s)

2015 CIS finish: 15^th (men’s), 8^th (women’s)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2005 / 12 (men’s), 1998 / 2 (women’s)

Last U Sports championship / total U Sports championships: 1981 / 1 (men’s), 0 (women's)

Returning top finishers

Men: Kieran McDonald –53^rd CIS

Women: Morgan Lawley – 42^nd CIS

Number of competitors: 10 (2 men, 8 women)

Key additions (name / eligibility / hometown)

Women: Nicole Soderberg / 5^th / Edmonton

Key performer:

Nicole Soderberg

5th-year

Edmonton, AB

The University of Alberta Pandas cross country team will undoubtedly get a lift from Nicole Soderberg, a transfer to the U of A from the University of Victoria. Soderberg, who is originally from Edmonton, returns to her home town and is now a graduate student at the U of A. She was a Canada West first team all-star and CIS first team all-Canadian in her time as a Vike, as well as a multiple Canada West gold medalist and CIS medalist.

She joins a returning crew of Pandas that includes team captain Morgan Lawley, as well as Caitlin Vail and Lesley Koopman. 

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY DINOS

2015 CW finish: 3rd (men’s), 2nd (women’s)

2015 CIS finish: 9^th (men’s), 3rd (women’s)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2008 / 3 (men’s), 2010 / 8 (women’s)

Last U Sports championship / total U Sports championships: 0 (men’s), 2003 / 3 (women’s)

Returning top finishers

Men: Russell Pennock – 23^rd (CIS)

Women: Emma Cook-Clarke – 4^th (CIS)

Number of competitors: 14 (7 men, 7 women)

Key additions (name / eligibility / hometown)

Men: Samuel Poher / 1 / Lac Delago, Que.

Greg Ord / 1 / Courtice, Ont.

Key performer:

Emma Cook-Clarke  

5th-year

Calgary, Alta.     

Melissa Jones

2nd-year

Pembroke, Ont.

Russell Pennock

3rd-year

Calgary, Alta.

Roman Justinen

5th-year

Rocky Mountain House, Alta.

Russell Pennock has led the Dinos men’s team since his first season and continues to do so throughout his career thus far. Almost always the Dinos’ top finisher, he’ll be looked upon to have a solid race at the championships. Roman Justinen will finish his cross country career on Saturday as the veteran leader of the group. 

MACEWAN UNIVERSITY GRIFFINS

2015 CW finish: 6/6 (men’s), 5/7 (women’s)

2015 CIS finish: 20/20 (men’s), 13/19 (women’s)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: None

Last U Sports championship / total U Sports championships: None

Returning top finishers

Men: Adam Lehners (143^rd CIS)

Women: Hannah Leggatt (39^th CIS)

Number of competitors: 11 total (5 men, 6 women)

Key additions (name / eligibility / hometown)

Men:Scott Kohlman / 1 / Bashaw, AB

Trekk Allan / 1 / Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Women:Nikita Case / 1 / Sherwood Park, AB

Marwa Ali / 1 / Edmonton, AB

Key performer:

Hannah Leggatt 

2nd-year 

The reigning Canada West rookie of the year is among the contenders for the conference women’s title. In October, she won the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Sled Dog Open, beating top conference rivals Shayna Uhryn of Saskatchewan and Nicole Soderberg of Alberta.

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA BISONS

2015 CW finish: 4th (men’s), 6th (women’s)

2015 CIS finish: 14th (men’s), 15th (women’s)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 1990-91 / 3 (men’s), 2002-03 / 1 (women’s)

Last U Sports championship / total U Sports championships: 1989-90 / 3 (men’s), 0 (women’s)

Returning top finishers

Men:Timothy Miller – 48th CIS

Women:Rebekah Sass – 28th CIS

Number of competitors: 13 total (7 men, 6 women)

Key additions (name / eligibility / hometown)

Men:Simon Berube / 2 / Winnipeg, MB

Mathieu Desmarais / 4 / Winnipeg, MB

Women:Janine Zajac / 1 / Winnipeg, MB

Julia Zrinyi / 2 / Winnipeg, MB

Key performers:

Men:

Timothy Miller

5

Winnipeg, MB

Daniel Heschuk

3

Neepawa, MB

Josh Dyck

5

Winnipeg, MB 

Fifth year Timothy Miller, third year Daniel Heschuk and fifth year Josh Dyck have been competing all cross country season for top spot on the Bison men’s team. At the Stewart Cup race at the end of October 2016, only two seconds separated all three racers as they finished 11th (Dyck), 12th (Heschuk) and 13th (Miller). Miller earned his first conference all-star last season with a 48th overall finish at the national championship and aims for a higher placing in his final season while Heschuk and Dyck look to earn their first conference recognition in the 2016 championship.

Women:

Rebekah Sass

4

Winnipeg, MB

Julia Zrinyi

2

Winnipeg, MB 

Both fourth year Rebekah Sass and second Julia Zrinyi have been competing all cross country season for the top spot on the Bison women’s team. At the Stewart Cup race at the end of October 2016, only two seconds separated the two racers as they finished 19th (Sass) and 20th (Zrinyi). Sass has been to the national for the first three years of her career. She finished 28th last season and earned Canada West Second Team All-Star recognition and was an All-Star for the third consecutive season (First Team: 2013, 2014; Second Team: 2015). Zrinyi makes her first national championship appearance and aims to be a conference all-star in 2016.

UNIVERSITY OF REGINA COUGARS

2015 CW finish: N/A (men’s), 5^th (women’s)

2015 CIS finish: N/A (men’s), 17^th (women’s)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2009 / 1 (men’s), none (women’s)

Last U Sports championship / total U Sports championships: 0 (men’s), 0 (women’s)

Returning top finishers

Men:Adam Strueby – 32^nd, CIS (2014)

Women:Kaytlyn Criddle – 91^st, CIS (2011)

Number of competitors: 4 total (3 men, 1 women)

Key performer:

Adam Strueby

4th-year

Regina, Sask.

After missing all of the 2015 season due to a stress fracture, fourth-year harrier Adam Strueby has returned to full strength this year and has been the U of R’s top finisher in all four races this season. Strueby, who was a Canada West second-team all-star in 2014, has compiled an individual win (Cougar Trot), a second-place finish (University of Saskatchewan Open), and two other top-ten finishes (Western Washington Classic and Stewart Cup) this year.

UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES

2015 CW finish: N/A (men’s), N/A (women’s)

2015 CIS finish: N/A (men’s), N/A (women’s)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 1969 / 2 (men’s), 0 (women’s)

Last U Sports championship / total U Sports championships: 1968 / 1 (men’s), 0 (women’s)

Returning top finishers

Men:Reid Balezantis – 38^th CW; 131^st CIS – 34:39

Women:Brooke Mentanko – 18^th CW; 50^th CIS – 22:30.4

Number of competitors: 9 total (3 men, 6 women)

Key additions (name / eligibility / hometown)

Men: Robert Bigsby / 4 / Saskatoon

Women: Shayna Uhryn / 1 / Saskatoon

Key performer:

Shayna Uhryn

1st-year

Saskatoon, Sask.

Rookie Shayna Uhryn enters the Canada West and U Sport Championship after a strong performance at the Stewart Cup in Calgary. Peaking at the right time, the Arts & Science student finished in third place in the six-kilometre race in a time of 22:00. She has been the top finisher for the Huskies all season, clocking in second at the UofS Open and first at the Cougar Trot. 

THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY WOLFPACK

2015 CW finish:  N/A (men’s), N/A (women’s)

2015 CIS finish:  N/A (men’s), N/A (women’s)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: none

Last U Sports championship / total U Sports championships: none

Returning top finishers

Men: Conlan Sprickerhoff – 141st CIS

Women: Rachel Lobay – 63rd CIS

Number of competitors: 1 female, 1 male

Rachel Lobay

2nd-year

Kelowna, BC

Lobay finished 7th among rookies at last year's national meet, and has returned having resolved some injury issues that hindered her training in 2015. She has strong potential for a top 50 performance. 

TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY SPARTANS

2015 CW finish: 2nd (men’s), 1st (women’s)

2015 CIS finish: 6th (men’s), 2nd (women’s)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 0 (men’s), 2015 / 3 (women’s)

Last U Sports championship / total U Sports championships: 0 (men’s), 0 (women’s)

Returning top finishers

Men:Declan White – 16th CIS

Women: Lisa Brooking – 7th CIS

Number of competitors: 14 total (7 men, 7 women)

Key performer:

Regan Yee

3rd-year

South Hazelton, B.C.

The third-year Yee has had an impressive cross country season in which she finished in the top two in all three of her races. She won both the University of Washington Sundodger Open and the University of Western Washington Classic before finishing second, to teammate Lisa Brooking, at the BC championships. Last year, Yee was 10^th at the CIS championships and fourth amongst Canada West athletes. This year, expect Yee to be in contention for the conference title and pushing for a podium spot at the national level.

Key performer:

Declan White

4th-year

South Surrey, B.C.

White has proven that, on the day, he can compete with almost anyone in the country. In the last two years, he finished 16^th (in 2015) and 17^th (in 2014) at the national championships, but this year look for him to push for a spot in the top 10. White finished in the top five in all three of TWU's races this year, with a first-place finish at the University of Washington's Sundodger Open, a third-place finish at the University of Western Washington Classic and a fifth-place finish at the BC championships.

UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA VIKES

2015 CW finish: 1st (men’s), 3^rd (women’s)

2015 CIS finish: 1st (men’s), 7th (women’s)

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2015 / 16 (men’s), 2012 / 20 (women’s)

Last CIS championship / total CIS championships: 2015 / 5 (men’s), 2001 / 9 (women’s)

Returning top finishers

Men: Forest Simpson – 9^th CIS

Women: Chloe Hegland – 21^st CIS

Number of competitors: 14 total (7 men, 7 women)

Key additions (name / eligibility / hometown)

Men:Jonathan Toombs / 1^st / Sooke, B.C.

Chet Goerzen / 1^st / Kelowna, B.C.

Women: Chloe Hewitt / 1^st / Hamilton, Ont.

Alyssa Mousseau / 1^st / Nanaimo, B.C.

Gemma Moran / 1^st / Edmonton, A.B.

Key performer:

Shoayb Bascal

5th-year

Victoria, B.C.

One of two players remaining from last year’s championship team, fifth-year Vike Shoayb Bascal is expected to lead the men as they aim to repeat as CIS and Canada West champions. The Victoria, B.C., native finished 11^th at last year’s championship, helping the Vikes upset the Guelph Gryphons. He led the Vikes with a fourth place finish at the recent B.C. Cross Country Championships.