Women’s U Sports cross country mid-season power rankings
UBC Thunderbirds hold the top spot as Canada's top university teams shuffle in mid-season power rankings
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UBC Thunderbirds
We are now two weeks into the 2023 U Sports cross-country season, and it’s time to update our Canadian Running women’s team power rankings according to mid-season results.
Here’s how our rankings work: if a team is winning, they will climb the rankings. If a team is losing, they slide. We will update the rankings every three weeks during the season in the ramp-up to the 2023 U Sports Championships on Nov. 12, from London, Ont.
2023 Women’s U Sports cross country pre-season power rankings
We are less than six weeks away from the 2023 U Sports Championship, so here are the rankings of the top 10 women’s teams in the country, plus a couple of athletes to watch for this season in their respective conferences.
10. Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA) +/-
9. Montreal Carabins (RSEQ) *new*
8. Victoria Vikes (CanWest) +/-
7. Guelph Gryphons (OUA) -4
6. Queen’s Gaels (OUA) +/-
5. McMaster Marauders (OUA) +/-
4. St. Francis Xavier X-Women (AUS) +3
3. Laval Rouge-et-Or (RSEQ) +1
Victoire de Catherine Beauchemin.
Deuxième position pour Sara-Pier Paquet.
Six filles dans le top 10.
𝐁𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐚̀ 𝐐𝐮𝐞́𝐛𝐞𝐜. pic.twitter.com/SoaVLGc8kb
— Rouge et Or (@rougeetor) September 23, 2023
2. Western Mustangs (OUA) +/-
1. UBC Thunderbirds (CanWest) +/-
The UBC Thunderbirds maintain their top spot after the first two weeks of the XC season. The UBC women won the Western Invitational on Sept. 23 in remarkable fashion, placing five women in the top six to secure the women’s title on the 2023 U Sports Championship course in London, Ont. Leading the charge for the Thunderbirds are veterans Kyla Becker, Katie Newlove and Rachel Mortimer, who swept the podium in the women’s 8K, surpassing the top OUA XC programs. Although the Thunderbirds finished second last year behind Laval Rouge-et-Or, winning their second consecutive U Sports women’s championship in Halifax, they are now early favourites for the gold come November.
Also climbing up in the rankings are the #4 ranked St. Francis Xavier X-Women, moving up three spots after marking their mark at the Western Invitational, taking third place behind the top-ranked UBC and #2 Western Mustangs. Also breaking into the top 10 are the #9 ranked Montreal Carabins, who finished seventh at the Western Invite, with four runners finishing inside the top 40. On the other hand, Guelph and UBC Okanagan have seen a drop in the mid-season rankings. UBC Okanagan aims to rebound at the upcoming UBCO Heat Invitational on Oct. 7, where they will host the top-ranked Thunderbirds and the #8-ranked Victoria Vikes, fresh off their victory at the Bill Roe Classic in Bellingham, Wash. last week.
Individual title contenders
Jade Berube (Laval Rouge-et-Or)
Kyla Becker (UBC Thunderbirds)
Anna Carruthers (Western Mustangs)
Cameron Ormond (Guelph Gryphons)
Marley Beckett (UBC Thunderbirds)
Catherine Beauchemin (Laval Rouge-et-Or)
Hannah Goodjohn (McMaster Marauders)
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