Lauren McNeil and Maximilien Filion named Under Armour Athletes of the Week

The 2025 U Sports cross-country season is well underway, with top collegiate athletes from across Canada hitting the grass and getting muddy as they chase national glory. The national U Sports Cross-Country Championships will be returning to Sherbrooke, Que., on Nov. 8 for the first time in 15 years; Canadian Running, in partnership with Under Armour, will spotlight the country’s standout performers each week as the Under Armour Athlete of the Week.

This week, we are highlighting UBC Okanagan’s Lauren McNeil and UBC’s Maximilien Filion for their top performances at the Western Canadian Challenge at Calgary’s Canmore Park on Saturday.

Lauren McNeil, UBC Okanagan (CanWest)

McNeil, the reigning U Sports champion, soared to a dominant victory over the 8K course, clocking 27:33 to cross the line more than a minute and a half ahead of the rest of the field. Marisha Thompson of the Victoria Vikes took the runner-up spot in 29:09 and Mackenzie Campbell of the UBC Thunderbirds took third in 29:26.

The UBCO Heat runner and Buxton, U.K., native is establishing herself as an early threat for back-to-back national titles. Last year, she captured U Sports gold on home turf in Kelowna, B.C., taking control early before breaking away from the pack with two kilometres to go. She crossed the line in a blistering 26:31–more than 10 seconds ahead of CanWest champion Constance Nankivell of the Trinity Western Spartans.

Maximilien Filion, UBC (CanWest)

On the men’s side, Filion, a third-year Thunderbird from Candiac, Que., was the third overall male to cross the line, but the first university competitor. He clocked 24:51 over 8K, with Victoria Vikes runner Jaxon Kuchar taking second in 24:59 and Ian Teichler of the Regina Cougars claiming third (25:42).

“I chose to take a more laid-back approach and stay relaxed rather than aggressive off the start,” Filion told Canadian Running. “I tucked in behind the lead pack and focused on conserving as much energy as possible. At the bell, a few of my competitors started to pick up the pace. I stayed calm and trusted my body–and it worked out even better than expected. Since I finished behind two other runners, I didn’t realize I’d actually won the collegiate race until after my cooldown.”

The performance comes less than a week after Filion placed second at the Vancouver Spirit Run, where Kuchar took the win–showcasing a growing rivalry between the two. Last year, Filion finished eighth at the CanWest XC Championships and 17th at U Sports.

The Quebec native admits he’s now eyeing the CanWest title, but his main focus remains on U Sports in Sherbrooke. “Racing in my home province, with friends and family cheering, will be special,” he said.

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