Men’s Cross Country
StFX’s MacLellan, Victoria’s Vail named Cross Country Community Service Award winners
The Calgary Dinos men and Laval Rouge et Or women arrive in Kingston, Ont., this weekend aiming to defend their cross country national titles won last November.
Both schools claimed historic first-ever U SPORTS banners last year, and are each coming off podium finishes at their respective conference championships two weeks ago heading into the national race.
A full schedule, and conference by conference previews are available below.
The 2019 U SPORTS Cross Country Championships, hosted for the second consecutive year by Queen’s, run Saturday at Fort Henry Hill in Kingston. Livestreaming is available at USPORTS.LIVE.
MEN’S RACE
| Conference | Medalists | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| CW | Team (Last / Total Titles) | Calgary (2018 / 1) | Alberta (1980 / 1) | UBC (1993 / 1) |
| Individual (Time) | Stefan Daniel, Calgary (31:28.53) | Russell Pennock Calgary (32:00.49) | Kieran Lumb UBC (32:14.81) | |
| OUA | Team (Last / Total Titles) | Guelph (2017 / 15 | McMaster (1963 / 1) | Queen’s (1984 / 4) |
| Individual (Time) | Mitch Ubene Guelph (31:00.6) | Isaiah Frielink Western (31:10.1) | Mark Patton Guelph (31:12.6) | |
| RSEQ | Team (Last / Total Titles) | Laval (2016 / 1) | Sherbrooke (1992 / 1) | Montreal (Never) |
| Individual (Time) | Jean-Simon Desgagnés Laval (31:32.1) | Jonathan Tadeschi Laval (31:44.3) | Thomas Windish Sherbrooke (31:50.2) | |
| AUS | Team (Last / Total Titles) | Dalhousie (Never) | StFX (Never) | UNB (Never) |
| Individual (Time) | Andrew Peverill Saint Mary’s (25:18.0) | Paul MacLellan StFX (25:40.0) | Jacob Benoit, StFX (25:45.0) |
Calgary Dinos
CW Champions
In November 2018, the Calgary Dinos men's cross country team shocked everyone – with the exception of themselves – by winning the program's first U SPORTS national championship. A year later, the group heads back to the same course in Kingston, Ont. looking to repeat – this time with a target squarely on their backs. This time they go in as the favourites, ranked No. 1 in the nation all season and landslide winners of the Canada West championship, their third straight, on their home course two weeks ago – in the first standalone conference championship since 1993.
After getting out quickly and only extending his lead for the entire race, Stefan Daniel blew away the competition securing the gold medal by over 30 seconds, finishing in 31:28:53 to a boisterous cheer from the home crowd. Dinos teammate fifth-year Russell Pennock had a strong kick on the final lap to solidify second place. Pennock was the individual bronze medallist in Kingston last year, while Matthew Travaglini is the defending Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national champion, transferring down the road to UCalgary after an illustrious career at SAIT.
Guelph Gryphons
OUA Champions
For the 17th time in the last 21 years, the Guelph Gryphons are OUA champions in men's cross country. The Gryphon men took the OUA banner in Hamilton for their first conference title since 2017, with fourth-year standout Mitch Ubene leading the way by finishing first in a field of 85 runners.
Ubene becomes the 16th individual in Gryphon history to be named the individual champion in men's cross country. The Gryphon men placed three athletes in the top four to edge the host Marauders in the team standings – Ubene, Mark Patton and Kalum Delaney.
Laval Rouge et Or
RSEQ Champions
Reigning provincial champion Jean-Simon Desgagnés defended his RSEQ title in front of his fans on the Plains of Abraham, leading the Laval men's cross country team its ninth consecutive team banner.
The medical student-athlete finished the difficult 10-kilometer run in 31:32, a dozen seconds ahead of teammate Jonathan Tedeschi. Desgagnés led an impressive Laval contingent, with the Rouge et Or placing seven runners in the Top 10. Tedeschi, who missed the last two seasons due to injuries, completed a dream year with his best result of the campaign. Laval also boasted performances from Charles Paquet (4th), Felix Lapointe-Pilote (6th), Samuel Poher (7th), Christopher Busset (8th) and David Girardin (10th).
Dalhousie Tigers
AUS champions
The Dalhousie Tigers men’s cross country team has been solid the entire 2019 season. Led by Jonathan Goodridge and Hudson Grimshaw-Surette, the Tigers earned their second AUS championship title in the last three seasons. Goodridge and Grimshaw-Surette finished sixth and seventh respectively at the conference championship, earning AUS all-star status.
Rounding out the crew looking for the program’s first U SPORTS championship win is Callum Drever, Will Cox, Jacob Halloran, Nick Robertson and Mike Rogers.
WOMEN’S RACE
| Conference | Medalists | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| CW | Team | UBC (Never) | Trinity Western (Never) | Saskatchewan (Never) |
| Individual | Nicola Symmonds UBC (30:35.49) | Courtney Hufsmith Saskatchewan (30:35.64) | Joanna Williams Trinity Western (30:43.84) | |
| OUA | Team | Queen’s (Never) | Guelph (2016 / 13) | Toronto (2017 / 3) |
| Individual | Lucia Stafford Toronto (27:20.2) | Branna MacDougall Queen’s (27:26.9) | Brogan MacDougall Queen’s (28:01.5) | |
| RSEQ | Team | McGill (Never) | Montreal (Never) | Laval (2018 / 1) |
| Individual | Elodie De Coene Montreal (29:37.6) | Elizabeth Hirsch McGill (29:59.3) | Aurélie Dubé-Lavoie Laval (30:06.8) | |
| AUS | Team | Dalhousie (2004 /1 ) | StFX (Never) | Memorial (Never) |
| Individual | Jade Roberts Memorial (30:23.0) | Jane Hergett StFX (30:43.0) | Catherine Thompson Dalhousie (30:51.0) |
UBC Thunderbirds
Canada West Champions
UBC’s return to U SPORTS cross country has come with an exclamation point on the women’s side with the Thunderbirds earning back-to-back conference titles. The T-Birds earned a 10th place team finish at the Roy Griak meet, led by Canada West champion Nicola Symonds and Naomi Lang who finished 28th and 29th, respectively. Expectations remain high for UBC at the U SPORTS meet after a fourth place finish in 2018.
Queen’s Gaels
OUA champions
For the third consecutive year, the Queen’s Gaels won the OUA Championships at Bayfront Park in Hamilton, Ont., on Saturday morning.
Alongside Toronto's Lucia Stafford, Branna and Brogan MacDougall separated themselves well in the front of the field early in the race. Beginning to separate around 6km into the 8km race, Stafford used a strong final kick for the individual title, while Branna finished 2nd in 27:20 and Brogan in 3rd with a time of 28:01. Following up behind the top three was Kara Blair, finishing in 4th just 11 seconds behind Brogan. Rounding out the Gaels' final two scorers, Marley Beckett and Victoria Bouck placed 11th and 17th, respectively.
McGill Martlets
RSEQ Champions
Distance runner Elizabeth Hirsch of Melrose, Mass., registered a silver-medal finish, as the McGill University women's cross-country squad captured the RSEQ conference championship meet, held on the Plains of Abraham.
It marked the team's first league banner since 2016 and 31st Quebec title in 40 years, since the inaugural season in 1980. Long-time McGill mentor Dennis Barrett was named coach of the year on the women's side. Hirsch has reached the podium in all four of her meets thus far, winning one gold and three silvers. She was joined on the first All-Star team by teammate Sandrine Veillette, a management junior from Quebec City who finished fourth overall in 30:12.
Dalhousie Tigers
AUS Champions
The Dalhousie Tigers women’s cross country team has been solid the entire 2019 season. Led by Catherine Thompson, who placed in the top five in all of her conference races, the Tigers captured their eighth consecutive AUS championship title in Fredericton, N.B. She and Emily Hamilton, who placed sixth at the conference championship were both AUS all-stars. Lauren Lowther earned AUS rookie of the year honours with a 17th place conference championship finish.
Rounding out the crew looking for the program’s second U SPORTS championship win is Renata Kingston, Kamylle Frenette, Emma Moore and Jessica Needham.
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 8 
- Welcome Breakfast / Student-Athlete Community Service Awards – 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
Saturday, Nov. 9
- Women’s 8-km race, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
- Men’s 10-km race, 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT
- Awards Presentation, 3:30 p.m. / 12:30 p.m. PT