University of Guelph

Cross - country

UNIVERSITY CROSS COUNTRY – Gryphon men’s cross country team hopes to win record setting fourth straight CIS Championship

GUELPH , Ont. - After coming off the most dominate performance in CIS Cross Country history, the 2009 Gryphon men's cross country team will be looking to add to their growing legacy. At stake this year will be an attempt to tie the record for most consecutive CIS team titles, an achievement the University of Guelph currently shares with Victoria at four titles. The men will also aim to equal the University of Toronto for most overall team titles at nine and, along with the Gryphon women, break their tie with the University of Victoria for most successful cross country program of all time, which currently sits at 13 team titles.

This year's team will have many familiar faces from the 2008 squad that recorded a mind-boggling 27 points at the CIS Championships, a score which equaled the lowest score since 1978 when only six teams competed. Returning for his final year will be last year's CIS Champion Matt Brunsting (Stirling, Ont.). Brunsting is coming off an outstanding summer which culminated in a gold medal at the Canada Summer Games in Charlotttetown, PEI. He will be joined by team captain Kyle Boorsma (Guelph, Ont.), last year's runner-up. Boorsma became the University of Guelph's first active sub four minute miler this summer with his 3:59 posting in Toronto. Rounding out the Gryphons' top three is last year's OUA Champion Allan Brett (Ottawa, Ont.). Brett was fourth at the 2008 CIS Championships and will give the Gryphons the top three returning individuals in the country. A repeat of the Windsor Lancers' incredible sweep of the podium in 2004 is a possibility for the Gryphons.

Backing up the Gryphons lead three will be 2009 OUA Rookie of The Year Rob Jackson (Guelph, Ont.) and OUA All-Star John Parrott (Newmarket, Ont.). Both will be looking to fill the void left by graduating All-Canadians Derek Snider, Josh Roundell and Joe Brunsting. Also looking to make an impact on the national scene will be fourth year veterans Cody Murray (Sydenham, Ont.) and Rob Koziarski (Mississauga, Ont.), who both came into camp in the best shape of their lives.

With only seven returning athletes Head Coach Dave Scott-Thomas knew he needed to bring in a strong class of new faces to the program. This fall the Gryphons will boast an incredible 13 rookies on their roster. A strong and deep class is led by Alex Hinton, Benoit Boulay, Stephen Holmes and David Quinn. All of whom have previous top 10 OFSAA (Ontario High School) finishes to their credit and will all be looking to make an immediate impact in their debut seasons.

"This has to the potential to be a very, very good team," said Scott-Thomas. "Our composition is a bit different than during our first string of CIS titles. Those teams had incredible depth - we could go back 14- or 15 guys and have lots of bodies to pull in. Right now, our front end is exceptional and we're trying to grow some athletes into that depth role. If we're healthy and focused the guys will be tough to beat, but we have the potential to yield a lot of points quickly if any of our lead men are off. We're really looking for our 5-9 men to step up."

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Gryphon women’s cross country 2009 season previewIt has the makings of the best team in University of Guelph history and possibly one of the best in CIS history and for the 2009 University of Guelph Women’s Cross Country team there could be a great deal of history to be written. The team has won the past four CIS titles and this fall will look to break their current tie with Universities of Victoria and Western Ontario for most consecutive CIS victories. At the OUA level they will be looking to capture their sixth consecutive title breaking their tie for most consecutive titles that they share with Western.

Once again leading the charge for the Gryphons will be 2007 CIS MVP and two-time University of Guelph Athlete of The Year Lindsay Carson (Cambridge, Ont.). Carson finished third at last year’s championships and will be looking to get her individual title back and join former Gryphon Sylvia Rugger as a two time individual champion.

Joining Carson up front will be newcomer Genevieve Lalonde. One of the top recruiters in North America, Lalonde who hails from Moncton, New Brunswick, brings a wealth of international experience to the Gryphons and will enter the season as the favourite for CIS Rookie of The Year honors. Lalonde and Carson will be supported by a pair of stellar fourth year athletes, Courtney Laurie (Toronto, Ont.) and Rachel Cliff (Vancouver, Ont.). Laurie had a breakthrough race at last year’s CIS Track and Field Championships with a surprise silver medal in the 3000 metres, she carried her momentum through the outdoor season, capturing the Ontario Championship in the 5000 metres and lowering her personal best to 16 minutes and 29 seconds. This fall she will look to transfer her track prowess to the cross course and garner her first All-Canadian honours in cross country after placing 15th last season. Three time All-Canadian Rachel Cliff, the 2006 CIS Rookie of The Year, will be looking for her second first team All-Canadian honours after placing seventh in 2007. The Gryphons have boasted an individual medalist in each of the past five season but have never had more than one athlete on the women’s podium in their history, that could change after this season.

Backing up the Gryphons incredible top four is one of the deepest supporting casts in CIS history. Lead by All-Canadian Jess Vanhie (10th in 07) (Alisa Craig, Ont.), along with Lindsay Furtado (Brampton, Ont.) (24th in 08), Karoline Hoy (Thunder Bay, Ont.) (27th in 08) and Laura McIvor (Burnaby, BC) (30th in 08) as well as a quartet of second year athletes who are looking to build on impressive rookie campaigns, Head Coach Dave Scott-Thomas will have his hands full with selecting which seven athletes to put on the line at the OUA and CIS Championships.

"Our depth is fantastic and our front end is tough and experienced." says Scott-Thomas. "It would have been understandable if some of the girls had taken it a bit easier in the summer, but in fact they've trained harder than ever, are fit, focused and ready too roll. We're looking at our 6-9 athletes as 17-low 5km runners and I'd expect it'll take around 9:45 3000m skill to make our top 7. Getting on the line at CI's will be tough."