Building on a strong performance set at the OCAA Championships, Mountaineers cross country is hoping to carry the momentum to nationals this weekend.
The CCAA Championships are set to take place in Calgary, Alberta and are hosted by St. Mary's University.
At the provincial championships, the Mountaineers men's team captured a bronze medal on route to clinching a spot at nationals. It was the first medal performance by the men's program since 2016-17 where they also won bronze.
The women as a team finished fourth and had three runners qualify for the CCAA Championships.
This year has established a new era for the Mountaineers cross country program. Every Mohawk runner but one was competing at the collegiate-level for the first time.
"This is a young team and the focus for this group has always been on 2022," said head coach David Hopton. "The focus for this upcoming weekend is to get some experience racing at this level and to show our team just how high the level of competition is at CCAA."
Hopton believes that the experience established this year at nationals will set the Mountaineers cross country program up to contend for medals at the CCAA Championships in 2022.
"I hope this year is the start of putting Mohawk cross country as perennial nationals qualifiers," Hopton added. "To be sending nine athletes to nationals is already vastly exceeding our goals heading into this season."
The men's program will be led by Jacob Chant and Matias Tessel. The two runners placed 13th and 14th, respectively, at the OCAA Championships and were named to the All-Ontario Second Team.
Teammates Will Summers and Ben Yalin will also look for strong results at nationals following top-20 results at the OCAAs.
Ashley Lof will bring CCAA Championship experience on the women's side. The third-year runner competed at nationals in 2019-20, where she had a top-25 result.
This year at the OCAAs, Lof placed ninth and earned All-Ontario Second Team honours.
Teammate Annie Sterenberg placed sixth at the OCAA Championships and earned a spot on the All-Ontario First Team.
"I think on a good day Annie and Ashley can both aim for a top-25 finish this weekend," said Hopton.
Stefania Salzer will be the third female competing for the Mountaineers following a 20th place finish at OCAAs.
The Mountaineers cross country team will begin their travel to Calgary on Nov. 11 and compete in the CCAA Championships on Nov. 13.
