Following their Feb. 17 loss to TMU, the Marauders suffer their second loss of the weekend at the hands of the Toronto Varsity Blues
A poor finish to the regular season isn’t what many expected to see for the Marauders men’s volleyball team after starting their season with 18 consecutive wins, yet, it happened. It marks the first time since February 2016 that the team has lost back-to-back regular season games. Ironically, the Toronto Varsity Blues were also a part of that losing streak.
Though the Varsity Blues are a stronger opponent then the Toronto Metropolitan Bold, sitting fourth in the standings coming in, the 2021-2022 provincial championship rematch was still largely a game McMaster was expected to take. At least this time out, unlike against the Bold, the Marauders provided some resistance. They took one set by a score of 25 to 23, while losing another by a slim 27 to 25. The remaining two sets were lost by a score of 25 to 20.
The team remained short handed with Sam Cooper remaining out, and Tyler Pavelic having not played per his absence on the box score. However, Mateusz Wlodarski made his return to the court, and Maxime Gratton, whose availability remained in question, also played, making this loss more concerning than the last.
The two losses come as the final two games of the regular season. The Marauders currently hold the second longest losing streak, just to the 20 loss Royal Military College Paladins. On a positive note, the team still finishes as the sole victor of all 10 home games, while also holding the best record on the road.
The Marauders won’t play again until the Ontario University Athletics playoffs, where the quarterfinals begin on Feb. 25. McMaster will hold home court advantage throughout as the number one seed after finishing three wins above the second place Windsor Lancers.
After starting the season on an 18-game win streak, the team has officially lost their perfect record in the second last game of the year
Defeat – something the men’s volleyball team is not used to. The powerhouse Marauders took a shocking loss, their first of the season, on Feb. 17. The Toronto Metropolitan University Bold pulled off arguably the biggest upset of the season. They came into the matchup with a losing record of nine wins and 10 losses while sitting in the bottom half of the standings.
The Marauders struggled to keep up all game, having lost in three straight sets, but was it truly an upset? The team didn’t look like themselves, and this was likely because this wasn’t the team most were used to seeing.
“Still should have got it done, but it’s probably the most injured and sick game we’ve been in,” said Mateusz Wlodarski, a member of the team.
“Still should have got it done, but it’s probably the most injured and sick game we’ve been in.”
Mateusz Wlodarski, Men's Volleyball Team
Sam Cooper, a 2021-2022 first team all-star, and Wlodarski, a 2021-2022 second team all-star, didn’t see any time on the court. Cooper has been out since January with a foot fracture, while Wlodarski was out due to load management.
Maxime Gratton, the 2021-2022 Ontario University Athletics rookie of the year award recipient, didn’t enter the game until the second set. Gratton was sidelined from practices due to illness through the week, and his availability was uncertain heading in.
Despite the loss ending the possibility of a second consecutive season of perfection, there is still much to look forward to. The OUA playoffs begin on Feb. 25, where the Marauders will hold home court advantage throughout as the number one seed. The national U Sports championship, also hosted by McMaster, providing the Marauders with automatic entry, will begin on Mar. 17.
After a strong season and vibrant recent performances, the men’s volleyball team spot as the second best ranked team in all of Canada is well deserved
Over the past year, McMaster University’s men’s volleyball team have made thorough progress against the other university teams at the OUAs. Just last season, they caused havoc in the regional championship, clinching the trophy against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 3-1 in the finals, claiming their eleventh title. This success also ultimately brought them to the U Sports Championship, where they won the consolation final, showing that they are a team not to be underestimated.
Their recent successes also rewarded the men’s volleyball team by preparing them well for this seasons, including their match against Long Beach State University, a team that has recently been a runner up in the world-renowned NCAA Volleyball championship. Although both games ended up in defeat, the Marauders did manage to be a significant threat to the U.S. silver medalists, even collecting compliments from the team themselves after the second game.
Better news came in for Marauders just last week, where they were announced to be Canada’s second-best men’s volleyball team, falling just behind the Alberta Golden Bears in the U Sports hierarchy. This update also shows how the team has improved, having been ranked in third place this previous November.
Being crowned as one of the best teams in the country is no small feat. It is also well deserved given the men’s volleyball team’s scrupulous performances and we can only hope that this achievement will drive them to even further heights in the nationwide campaign this season.
The Grey Cup is back in Toronto and four ex-Marauders are getting rings, one of which played for McMaster just last year
It was one year ago that Hamiltonians watched their hometown Tiger Cats suffer a Grey Cup defeat to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. While the Ti-Cats failed to make a Grey Cup return this year, the defending Canadian Football League champion Blue Bombers once again found their way.
The 2022 Grey Cup matchup wound up being the two top seeded teams in each conference, the Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts. For Hamiltonians, this matchup is about as bad as it gets, having to choose between the team who beat them in the Grey Cup in each of the last two seasons, or their long-time rival Argonauts — the longest rivalry the league has ever had.
For McMaster students, it may have been a little bit easier to determine the lesser of the two evils, as the Argos featured four ex-Marauders in fullback Declan Cross (2012-2016), wide receiver Tommy Nield (2017-2019), defensive lineman Fabion Foote (2013-2016) and linebacker Enoch Penney-Laryea (2017-2022).
Penney-Laryea may be the most familiar name for Marauders fans, as he graduated following the 2021-2022 season and is now just in his rookie year as an Argonaut. In just a three year span, he is both an Ontario University Athletics provincial champion, and a Grey Cup champion after the Argonauts put an end to the Blue Bombers three-peat attempt in a nail biting 24-23 victory.
“The Yates Cup was unreal when it happened at the university level — to a lot of us it was the highest level we had achieved at the time. But honestly, I can’t say it in any way compares to winning the Grey Cup. The stakes were higher, the sacrifices everyone made [were] higher, and we all understood that . . . The Yates Cup, that was an unreal experience, but the Grey Cup definitely tops it,” said Penney-Laryea.
"The Yates Cup was unreal when it happened at the university level — to a lot of us it was the highest level we had achieved at the time. But honestly, I can’t say it in any way compares to winning the Grey Cup. The stakes were higher, the sacrifices everyone made [were] higher, and we all understood that."
Enoch Penney-Laryea, Toronto Argonauts
The championship victory is the Argonauts first since the 2017 season, which ex-Marauder Declan Cross, the highest paid member of the team, was also a part of. The 2022 championship makes him a two time CFL champion after just six years in the league.
The expectations on the Argonauts were high from the season start - in 2021 they finished atop their conference, but lost in the division final. People knew that this was a team who had a shot at the title.
“When you take it to the pros it’s just like man, these guys are freaks of nature. That’s my first memory from my first practice, just seeing how gifted everyone was . . . From the very start it was instilled in us, this was it, man. We had to go get it done,” explained Penney-Laryea.
“When you take it to the pros it’s just like man, these guys are freaks of nature. That’s my first memory from my first practice, just seeing how gifted everyone was . . . From the very start it was instilled in us, this was it, man. We had to go get it done."
Enoch Penney-Laryea
The Argonauts were confident from the start, and come time to perform, they were ready to go. Some had done it before, but it was a whole new experience for others. Regardless, the team was able to take it in stride and hit the ground running.
“I wouldn’t say I sensed a lot of nervousness. If anything, it was more excitement, definitely a lot of confidence. Guys couldn’t wait to get going, you know? They put it all out there — even some guys who were injured, the season had taken a toll on their bodies, they were ready to go. Knowing this was the last game you could really give everything,” said Penney-Laryea.
The game was very back and forth, but Winnipeg pulled ahead early in the fourth to a score of 23-14. Toronto fought back to a 24-23 lead and in the final minute Robbie Smith made a huge play, blocking a field goal attempt to save and win the game.
“As soon as it happened I was jumping. Everyone around me was jumping. Guys were running up and down the sidelines, everyone just burst into pure happiness and excitement. That was a crazy play to make. In the moment we were all just celebrating because we knew it was pretty much over . . . I remember thinking wow, we did it. It felt really good to defeat a team like Winnipeg,” explained Penny-Laryea.
“As soon as it happened I was jumping. Everyone around me was jumping. Guys were running up and down the sidelines, everyone just burst into pure happiness and excitement. That was a crazy play to make. In the moment we were all just celebrating because we knew it was pretty much over."
Enoch Penney-Laryea
With the season complete, the team will have several months to celebrate the victory before starting up again next year. Congratulations to ex-Marauders Declan Cross, Tommy Nield, Fabion Foote and Enoch Penney-Laryea.
Cross country head coach received national honours after first victory at U Sports championship since 1963
McMaster cross country head coach Paula Schnurr was named the U Sports men’s Fox 40 Coach of the Year following this year’s national championships on Nov. 12. Winning their first title since 1963, the men placed first in the country while the women finished seventh overall.
Before leading the cross country staff, Schnurr was a decorated athlete for the Marauders, earning 28 provincial medals in the Ontario Women’s Interuniversity Athletic Association.
In 1988, Schnurr set the national record for the women’s 1,500 metre race with her time of 4:16:41. That same year, Schnurr was named the top performer at the Canadian Inter-university Athletic Union championships, she was given her fourth Thérèse Quigley award for McMaster’s best female athlete of the year and was inducted into the McMaster athletics hall of fame.
Schnurr’s talents brought her to the international stage, making two appearances for Canada’s Summer Olympics team in 1992 and 1996. At the 1994 Commonwealth Games, Schnurr collected a silver medal in the 1,500 metre event.
In 2010, Schnurr assumed the role of head coach for McMaster’s cross country program. Over the last few years, Schnurr and the men’s cross-country team have developed into household names atop the national leaderboards.
The men recorded their first Ontario University Athletics gold under Schnurr’s tenure in 2018, led by a gold medal outing from then-sophomore runner Max Turek. Following their performance, Schnurr received the OUA award for the men’s cross country coach of the year, making history as the award’s first-ever female recipient.
That season, the men earned bronze at the national U Sports championships, missing second place by a five point margin to the Guelph Gryphons. Most recently, the men captured provincial silver and national bronze in 2021 to continue an illustrious stretch of seasons for the team.
Prior to this year’s championships, Schnurr brought the men and women’s teams to OUA excellence, winning gold and silver respectively before heading into nationals. Coming in as the top team in the national power rankings, the men closed out a phenomenal season by securing the U Sports title.
On route to his third U Sports athlete of the week award, Turek completed an exceptional year after finishing the race in first with a time of 24:21. His run marks a perfect season for the Marauders, who also received gold medals in the Western Invitational, the Marauder Bayfront Open and the OUA championships.
Andrew Davies and Alex Drover placed third and fifth respectively to give the Marauders three runners in the top five. Dylan Alick finished the race in thirteenth place with a time of 25:10, while Sam Nusselder’s showing of 25:14 was good for fifteenth overall. Self-titled “The Flying V”, the five’s total of 37 was good for 78 points above the second-placed Laval Rouge et Or.
“It’s been a four, five year process for this group because they’ve come through the team together. Each year they were improving and getting so close . . . so [winning nationals] was really the focus all season,” said Schnurr.
It’s been a four, five year process for this group because they’ve come through the team together. Each year they were improving and getting so close. . . so [winning nationals] was really the focus all season.
Paula Schnurr, Head Coach
On the women’s side, OUA bronze medalist Rosalyn Barrett was the top runner for McMaster, coming in thirtieth with a time of 30:20. Hannah Goodjohn and Sarah Nolan recorded thirty-sixth and fifty-first finishes on the way to a seventh place team performance with 222 points. The Rouge et Or scored 49 points to win the women’s title.
After the races, Turek, Davies and Drover were named First Team All-Canadians, while Alick was awarded Second Team honours. Schnurr was given the Fox 40 Coach of the Year award for helping the Marauders to their first national title in 59 years.
“The goal is to help my athletes get better and the team get better. If I get recognized for the little part I play because they were the ones out running, then it’s a nice honour . . . When you have talented athletes, they make any coach look good,” said Schnurr.
The goal is to help my athletes get better and the team get better. If I get recognized for the little part I play because they were the ones out running, then it’s a nice honour. . . When you have talented athletes, they make any coach look good.
Paula Schnurr, Head Coach
With their top five runners graduating this year, the men’s team successfully capitalized on their immense wealth of talent with a championship banner. Going forward, the program looks to continue its dominance and develop its youth under Schnurr’s expertise and mentorship.
After a successful OUA campaign, the men’s soccer team took their game to the U Sports national tournament
After successfully defeating Toronto Metropolitan University in the Ontario University Athletic championship game, the Marauder men’s team looked to continue their impressive win streak at the U Sports national tournament. This year’s tournament was hosted in Kamloops, B.C., where the team would face both freezing weather and higher level opponents.
The OUA finals win was already an impressive feat by the Marauders as coming into the offseason, they were not the favourites to make it to the finals.
“The OUA conference is the toughest in the country for soccer and no one really gave us a chance, especially under the circumstances,” said head coach Chris Markou.
Through defeating the Guelph Gryphons, Nippising Lakers and TMU, the team did the seemingly impossible. They subsequently put themselves in a spot to take on the Thompson River Wolfpack, the hosts of this year’s U Sports National Championship.
Facing sub-zero temperatures, the Marauders would have to face two major obstacles. The first being the new weather, which TRU would be better accustomed to. They would also face an opponent who had much older players, bringing more experience.
“We had the youngest team assembled there,” explained Markou.
The first game of the tournament would see the Marauder side lose to TRU in a disappointing fashion. Following a tie at the end of regulation and a scoreless overtime period the team lost in penalty kicks. A missed shot by Justin Woods caused the team to fall to the Wolfpack team, finishing with a 5-4 score in penalty kicks.
Though the team put on an impressive display overall. The game finished 1-1 with a spectacular free kick goal hitting the back of the net by Miles Green. Other notable performances were put on by Ahmad Mansour, Sam Richardson and Justin Wood.
The Wolfpack ended up building on this early momentum, later matchup against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the final. TRU would go on to win this game by a score of 2-1, taking home the national championship on their home turf. The Marauders on the other hand would head into the consolation bracket as a result of their first-round loss.
The Marauders played the following day against the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes. After a grueling 120 minutes of soccer the day prior, the team was unable to stand up against UQTR.
“We had just played 120 minutes against the host school and then we were back on the pitch for Friday on a quick 16 hour game turnaround for UQTR at 1:30 PM. There is little to no recovery time and we had a few players that physically couldn't carry on the Friday. To be able to mentally pick yourself up from such a close loss to play a consolation match the next day is such a challenge for any athlete,” said Markou.
After a red card was given to centre back Ahmad Mansour, the team lost control of the game. The final score was 5-0, seeing UQTR win and thus, having the opportunity to play a third game to challenge for the fifth place spot in the tournament.
Two disappointing results for the Marauders saw them exit the tournament early. But for such a young team the experience is invaluable.
“U Sport Soccer Championships was a fantastic learning experience for not only the players but for myself and my coaching staff,” said Markou.
Their last game against UQTR marks the end of the team’s season. As a team with a new head coach, and 11 new athletes joining the Marauders, the team will hope to continue their upward growth from here.
A fiery start for the McMaster men's volleyball team yields their fourth consecutive win
The McMaster University men’s volleyball team continues to impress. The reigning provincial champions and U Sports national contenders finished strong against the Waterloo Warriors for a perfect record of four wins and zero losses on Nov. 12.
The early season success comes with little surprise considering McMaster’s perfect regular season record the year prior and an experienced core unit with returning players such as outside hitter, Sam Cooper, and middle, Tyler Pavelic. Both players came up big in McMaster’s most recent four-set victory over the Warriors.
The Marauders swiftly won the first set by a score of 25-20. However, the team lost their initial momentum early into the second set. Despite fighting back from a McMaster time-out, the red and grey team lost the set 23-25.
“I think we started off strong, we were doing everything we said we were going to do. Second set, they came out firing and I think we let off a little bit. Right there, it was clear we had to switch it up,” said Pavelic.
With McMaster landing fewer defensive blocks than usual and a crafty Warriors offence, the team sought to make some changes. The Marauders were able to adapt with a few in-game adjustments and finished with a strong second half.
“After that set, I think we just picked [the energy] up, we just communicated more about what we needed to do before the whistle even blew. At that point, we were able to build some more momentum into that set,” explained Cooper.
"After that set, I think we just picked [the energy] up, we just communicated more about what we needed to do before the whistle even blew. At that point, we were able to build some more momentum into that set,"
Sam Cooper, Outside Hitter
McMaster won the third set by a large margin of 25-16 and ran with the momentum to a final set score of 25-18 for an emphatic finish. Cooper led the team’s offensive effort with 13 total kills or unreturned attacks. Pavelic finished with four defensive blocks and six offensive kills. Returning players, Maxime Gratton and Mateusz Wlodarski, also came up big on the offensive end.
Despite the perfect record thus far, the McMaster team remains level-headed. The team still has a long season ahead of them with 18 scheduled games, including two exhibition games against Long Beach State University.
“We’re trying to stay realistic. We’re obviously happy about our wins and that’s what we’re looking to do – win as much, secure as much home court advantage as possible – but also trying to keep the balance of not getting too cocky so we’re ready for any opponent. We prepare the exact same for every opponent that we take on,” said Cooper.
McMaster continues to level up their defensive and offensive strategies with a focus on high-ball attacking, service pressure, service reception, small-ball defence and block defence. With most of their games taking place over the weekend, the team can regroup and identify areas of improvement during the week.
“It’s definitely a good feeling to go undefeated so far. I think we just got to keep learning from our mistakes, what’s not going well and kind of fix it throughout the week and be able to execute it on the weekends so we can come out and continue on that pace run,” explained Pavelic.
“It’s definitely a good feeling to go undefeated so far. I think we just got to keep learning from our mistakes, what’s not going well and kind of fix it throughout the week and be able to execute it on the weekends so we can come out and continue on that pace run.”
Tyler Pavelic, Middle
There’s lots more in store for this McMaster team and its fans. Looking ahead, McMaster is on the road for two away games against Toronto Metropolitan University on Nov. 18 and Brock University on Nov. 20. The fan-favourite team will return on Nov. 25 for a six-game home stand.
To keep up with the team, visit their website or Instagram. Students of McMaster University can attend games free of charge in Burridge Gym, only needing their student cards for entry.
The Marauders earn 13 medals and the top spot at the McMaster invitational in a dominant start to their season
The McMaster wrestling team took on their first season meet of the year at the McMaster University invitational held on Oct. 30. Hosted at the university’s own Burridge gymnasium, the Marauders came away with multiple medals across different weight classes from both the men and women’s divisions. Overall, the team pulled away with a first place victory, scoring 85 points to edge past the University of Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas who managed 84 points in the contest.
Following their home opening dual meet against Alberta on Oct. 29, the Marauders entered their regular season high off of last year’s silver medal performances at the Ontario University Athletic Championships. Featuring rosters packed with youth and talent, both the men and women teams dominated the McMaster invitational with outstanding matches on the mats.
On the women’s side, athletes Ligaya Stinellis, Serena Di Benedetto and Macy Malysiak secured gold medals for the 50kg, 53kg and 56kg events respectively. A three-time competitor for Team Canada and a new recruit for the team this year, Di Benedetto won by technical fall over Taylor Mcpherson for an impressive start to the season. Stinellis and Malysiak, who landed podium placements at their individual events during last year’s championships, also delivered strong performances for the Marauders.
Individual success at the meet aside, it was very important for members, such as Malysiak, to take advantage of the regular season for the team’s growth, development and playoff preparation. They managed to do just that, making the most of the meet.
“Like our coaches say, everybody wants to win, but you sometimes want to put yourself in uncomfortable positions and situations so that you can learn from them. All these tournaments are just a learning block before the big ones,” said Malysiak.
“Like our coaches say, everybody wants to win, but you sometimes want to put yourself in uncomfortable positions and situations so that you can learn from them. All these tournaments are just a learning block before the big ones.”
Macy Malysiak, women's wrestling team
Rounding out the other medalists, Betty Huang, Similoluwa Jayeoba and Tehani Blais captured three more silver medals for the women’s team. Vanessa Fonrose also added a bronze medal for her performance in the 76kg matches.
Leading the charge for the men’s team, Gregor McNeil took home the team’s lone gold, winning by injury default against Mahir Sabat from York University in the first place 61kg match. Francesco Fortino, Irman Kang and Jonathan Vecchio also earned three silver medals for the maroon and grey team. Finally, both Gianluca Fortino and Howard Moffatt ended with third place finishes in the 65kg and 90kg matches respectively.
Along with Di Benedetto, McNeil is also a first year recruit for the McMaster wrestling program with past experience on Team Canada. Of the 13 total medals won by the Marauders, six were won by athletes in their debut season with the wrestling program. Such achievements speak volumes to the team’s future potential.
“I honestly am just consistently excited because this is the best recruitment class that we’ve had for a long time . . . I do think that we are achieving more than we have in the past and so I think that this is going to continue on in the long run,” said Stinellis.
“I honestly am just consistently excited because this is the best recruitment class that we’ve had for a long time . . . I do think that we are achieving more than we have in the past and so I think that this is going to continue on in the long run.”
Ligaya Stinellis, women's wrestling team
After the meets, both the men and women’s teams rank high atop the U Sports wrestling power rankings. On the leaderboards, the women came second place in the country while the men finished in third.
The Marauders will soon travel to Toronto, taking the mats at the Toronto Metropolitan University invitational on Nov. 13. Later in the winter, they will take on the OUA wrestling championships on Feb. 11 and the U Sports championship held from Feb. 24 to Feb. 26.
With seven more meets still on their schedule, both teams will have plenty of time to prepare for the postseason title run in 2023.
This behind-the-scenes group of McMaster athletes is addressing common concerns faced by student athletes
The Varsity Leadership Committee is a group of athletes from teams across McMaster University. The committee strives to advocate for McMaster teams, improve the student athlete experience and tackle some of the common challenges faced by student athletes.
This year, the committee is emphasizing equal exposure and support for all of McMaster’s sports teams.
Competitions for different university sports teams can be organized by U Sports, Ontario University Athletics or as club sports and competing in different governing bodies can mean entirely different experiences.
Christina Stratford is one of the co-presidents of this year’s Varsity Leadership Committee and a member of the McMaster women’s volleyball team. As a U Sports player, Stratford acknowledged the challenges faced by other OUA and club athletes.
“Last year, it kind of brought to light the different treatment and the different opportunities [outside of] U Sports teams. Our big goal is to help get that exposure and hopefully start to get the opportunities that U Sports athletes get for athletes on those OUA or club teams,” said Stratford.
Last year, it kind of brought to light the different treatment and the different opportunities [outside of] U Sports teams. Our big goal is to help get that exposure and hopefully start to get the opportunities that U Sports athletes get for athletes on those OUA or club teams.
Christina Stratford, co-president of the Varsity Leadership Committee and a member of the McMaster women’s volleyball team
In the past, the committee increased coverage by promoting all upcoming sport events on their social media. They also encouraged athletes to attend other McMaster games through contests or promotions.
The committee has plans to further bridge the gap between club, OUA and U Sports teams by encouraging interactions between athletes. Arianne Soriano, the other co-president of this year’s committee and a point guard on the McMaster women’s basketball team, is spearheading these plans to create new opportunities for athletes to meet and build relationships.
“Going into my first year, I had no idea that we had a sailing team. I didn’t know much about the lacrosse team [or] the field hockey team. Over my years, I was able to develop relationships with players on those teams and I think it’s what enhances the student-athlete experience even more,” said Soriano.
Mental health is another common concern of student athletes and the committee is also a strong advocate for intiatives aimed at improving athlete and student mental health.
“In general, a lot of times, as athletes we put a lot of stress on ourselves between school and performing well. [We focus on] that mental health piece,” said Stratford.
Previously, the committee organized multiple panels and workshops for athletes on Bell Let’s Talk Day, including one of which featured Canadian sports journalist and mental health advocate, Michael Landsberg.
In addition to their involvement in athlete mental health, the committee has also organized outreach events within the McMaster student population and local community to encourage folks to get involved with the athletics community. These events includes games dedicated to Bell Let’s Talk, a Pride Celebration game and toy drive for local organizations.
As part of building strng community realtions, the committee works closely with the McMaster Athletics Department and different coaches and members within the athletics community. As a student-run committee, they are able to offer a unique perspective on the student-athlete experience at McMaster.
“Speaking from my own experiences, there’s so many times where I just don’t feel like I can talk to someone. It’s such a different perspective being a student-athlete from what the department can see, and they don’t always know what to offer. I think it’s really important having a committee especially run by athletes, and the purpose [being] for athletes,” explained Soriano.
Overall, through their various initatives and outreach, the Varsity Leadership Committee strives to better support and meet the needs of fellow McMaster athletes.
C/O Steve Moran
Excellent performances by the Marauders lead to podium finishes at the Western Invitational
McMaster’s cross country teams kicked off their season with a dominant outing at the Vigars & Salter Western Invitational. At their first race of the year, the men and women’s teams showed out, finishing first and third respectively at their eight kilometre run events.
Similar to golf, the team with the lowest score in a cross country meet wins. Teams require a minimum of at least five runners in order to be officially scored and corresponding point values are assigned based on their standings. The top seven runners on a team are able to affect a team’s results, with the first five contributing to the total score and the latter two acting as displacers to push back opposing runners’ ranks.
After coming in third at the event in 2021, the men’s team battled their way to claim the top spot in this year’s London showdown.
Max Turek — winner of the OUA bronze medal at last year’s championship eight kilometre race — finished third overall with a time of 24:34. Ending 18 seconds after Turek, Alex Drover placed fifth for the team, allowing both individuals to claim the leading two scores among qualified varsity runners.
Other standouts for the men include Sam Nusselder and Dylan Alick, who grabbed the fifth and eighth best times respectively in the university grouping.
The men’s team completed the meet with a score of 47, beating out the Western Mustangs who managed a total of 69 on their home grounds. Praising their overall performance, Drover viewed the event as a good indication of what the team has in-store for the rest of the season.
“I think we showed that we have a strong, deep team. We had a lot of runners out and everyone was performing well. It is early in the season but I think it was a race that set a good foundation for us to move forward from,” said Drover.
I think we showed that we have a strong, deep team. We had a lot of runners out and everyone was performing well. It is early in the season but I think it was a race that set a good foundation for us to move forward from.
Alex Drover, McMaster Varsity Cross Country Runner
As for the women’s team, they placed third in their run, collecting 69 points at the competition. Leading McMaster with her time of 30:03, Hannah Goodjohn came third among university runners and seventh in the race overall. Sliding into sixth for the varsity group, Rosalyn Barrett completed the race in 30:20 to give the team two top-ten finishers altogether.
“I think going into it we had some really big competition, just some strong teams there. Guelph is a very, very strong team, same with Laval. . . it was a really exciting race,” said Barrett.
I think going into it we had some really big competition, just some strong teams there. Guelph is a very, very strong team, same with Laval. . . it was a really exciting race.
Rosalyn Barrett, McMaster Varsity Cross Country Runner
True to her word, both schools took commanding presences on the leaderboard. Aided by gold and silver finishes from athletes Jade Bérubé and Florence Caron, Laval’s Rouge et Or ended the meet in second with 54 points. Despite their efforts, the Guelph Gryphons managed to pull ahead of the pack, backed by five, top-12 placing runners and a leading score of 44.
The Marauders took on their second meet of the year on Oct. 1 at the Don Mills Open in Waterloo. Primarily featuring runners who have yet to compete this year, both the men and women’s teams rested the majority of athletes who participated at the Western Invitational.
Approximately two weeks later the team will make their Hamilton homecoming on Oct. 14 for the Marauder Bayfront Open, in preparation for the OUA and U Sports championships. Given their success early in the season, they look to be tough competitors up until the season’s end.
