2022 Women’s U-Sports Cross Country Pre-Season Power Rankings

All roads lead to the 2022 Usports Championship in Halifax, NSW on November 12th. each meeting.

Cross-country is a highly volatile event, but here’s how Canada’s top college teams stack up canadian running 2022 U Sports Cross-Country Championships predictions based on athlete personal bests, past race results, and previous experience.

Here’s how the ranking works: If the team is winning, the ranking goes up. If the team is losing, they slide. We will update the rankings every 2-3 weeks during the season leading up to the 2022 U Sports Championships.

10. Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA)

The Varsity Blues women’s team has undergone a major transformation since winning the Usports title in the fall of 2017. Now, with a little more experience, Varsity Blues could be in the top 5 in her OUA.

9. Montreal Carabine (RSEQ)

It’s unlikely the Carabins have the depth to catch up with the Rouge-et-Or powerhouses in the conference, but they do have a young team that could surprise a few teams this season. Their top four is above average compared to the rest of RSEQ’s teams (minus Laval) and from 2021 he will look to improve on his ninth-place finish if Carabins stays healthy.

8. Queen’s Gales (OUA)

Gales sits eighth out of depth at the OUA conference. The team has a solid top 8 and a good team he can always score, but last year they lacked a breakout leader in him to lead them to a top 3 finish in the conference. Gales from Gales will go head-to-head with #6 McMaster and #3 Western this season.

7. St. Francis Xavier X-Women (AUS)

Losing 2021 U Sports Rookie of the Year Siona Chisholm to the NCAA’s Notre Dame is a huge loss for StFX, but this team has the depth and experienced leadership to take them a long way in the conference. I can. Mairin Canning When Eileen Benoit Lead this team to a top 5 finish in Halifax this November.

6. McMaster Marauders (OUA)

The Marauders had a great run in the 2021 OUA campaign, claiming bronze, but couldn’t find their rhythm in U-Sport, finishing sixth.The Marauders have a solid top 6 athlete, but now Erin Mawinney Unqualified, the McMaster women will need a new rising star to beat Queens and Westerns.

5. Saskatchewan Husky (CanWest)

I’ll be honest here.Huskies let me down last season They ranked third in preseason polls (They ended up finishing fifth, losing the conference championship to two inferior teams). However!I’m all for a second chance, and Kaitlyn Harrison We had a great summer season at the track. I’m going back to the Husky bandwagon and expect him to battle UBC and UBC Okanagan (different schools) at the CanWest conference all season long.

4. UBC Thunderbirds (CanWest)

This team has consistently ranked 1st to 8th and only gets better throughout the season. last year, Glynis Sim He led a team made up of mostly first- and second-year athletes to 4th place in U Sports. If there’s a team that can make noise at the Nationals to upset the top three teams, it’s the UBC Thunderbirds.

3. Western Mustang (OUA)

I like the West. very good. Last year, the Mustang upset U-Sports, beating his rival Guelph to win the silver medal. His other OUA rivals will have their hands full in Western’s deep top four. Heidi Oring, Anna Carruthers and the Coutts twins (Chloe and Sophie). If this team stays healthy, they could win gold in November.

2. Guelph Griffon (OUA)

All of Gryphon’s top athletes for 2021 will be back next season. Sadie Jane Hickson, Olivia Roussel When Kiana Gibson He will aim to defend his OUA title and upgrade his Usports bronze to gold. Hickson and Roussel set a personal best over 1,500 m in the summer and will be tough to beat in the late stages of an XC race.

Guelph is deep and talented on paper, but has been inconsistent in the last year. If they can connect their stellar performances in September and October into November, they’ll be a tough team to beat.

1. Laval Rouge et Ol (RSEQ)

Last year, the Rouge-et-Or women wiped out the field, finishing with five runners in the top 20 and winning the 2021 Usports Championship.This year, 2022 Champion Jessie LaCourse and U-Sports Bronze Medalist Catherine Beauchemin Back for another run with the title.

Laval, a winning team all season, will showcase their talents at the Western Invitational in London, Ontario, against second-placed Guelph and third-placed Western. September 24th.

Top 5 individual titles:

1. Jesse LaCourse (Laval)
2. Catherine Bauschmann (Laval)
3. Joanna Brown (UBC Okanagan)
4. Sadie-Jane Hickson (Guelph)
5. Heidi Oring (Western)

Looking for Men’s U Sports preseason rankings? Check them out here.