Women’s U Sports cross country pre-conference championships rankings
Our final rankings and predictions ahead of U Sports conference championship weekend
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McMaster Athletics
It’s officially “banner” season for Canadian U Sports cross-country, as the top women’s teams across the country begin their bid for a ticket to the 2023 U Sports Championships on Nov. 12, in London, Ont.
Here’s an update on our Canadian Running women’s XC team power rankings based on the regular season. Additionally, we’ve highlighted a couple of athletes to watch in their respective conferences, and, of course, everyone’s favourite–predictions!
10. Victoria Vikes (CanWest) -2
9. Montreal Carabins (RSEQ) +/-
8. Saskatchewan Huskies (CanWest) *new*
7. Queen’s Gaels (OUA) -1
6. McMaster Marauders (OUA) -1
5. Guelph Gryphons (OUA) +3
4. St. Francis Xavier X-Women (AUS) +/-
3. Laval Rouge-et-Or (RSEQ) +/-
2. Western Mustangs (OUA) +/-
1. UBC Thunderbirds (CanWest) +/-
The UBC Thunderbirds maintain their top position in our pre-conference championship rankings after a convincing win at the UBCO Invite. Kyla Becker of UBC took another win, extending her unbeaten streak, with her teammate Katie Newlove finishing close behind. Becker’s remarkable form will carry into this weekend’s CanWest XC Championships, where the Thunderbirds are poised to reinforce their position as the nation’s top team. It would take a standout performance from either Laval or Western to move UBC from the top spot before U Sports, as UBC is expected to take care of business at CanWest.
The top four teams in the rankings remain unchanged, but Guelph makes a significant leap, climbing three positions into the top five. Their strong showing at the Marauder Bayfront Open, where they narrowly trailed Western, shows they are gaining momentum at the right time. If Guelph can get strong performances from their fourth and fifth runners, they could pose a challenge to the #2 ranked Western Mustangs at this weekend’s OUA championships in Waterloo, Ont., and defend their 2022 title.
Making their debut in our top 10 rankings this season are the #8 ranked Saskatchewan Huskies. The team claimed a dominant victory at the University of Calgary Stewart Cup, where they placed three women in the top five, led by fourth-year veteran Kaitlyn Harrison, who won the 6K race in 22:37. While the Huskies may not match the depth of UBC, they have the potential to emerge as the second-ranked team in the competitive CanWest conference heading into U Sports.
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)
Chloe Coutts (Western Mustangs)
Conference predictions
OUA
Team title: (#2) Western Mustangs
Individual title: Cameron Ormond (Guelph)
CanWest
Team title: (#1) UBC Thunderbirds
Individual title: Kyla Becker (UBC)
RSEQ
Team title: (#3) Laval Rouge-et-Or
Individual title: Catherine Beauchemin (Laval)
AUS
Team title: (#4) St Francis Xavier X-Women
Individual title: Allie Sandluck (StFX)
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