In their quest to win their seventh consecutive CIS Cross Country title, the Gryphon women's cross country team will likely face their stiffest challenge yet in their record setting streak. The Gryphons graduated three of their top four finishers from last year's championship team including Rachel Cliff and Courtney Laurie, both of whom were part of five CIS Cross Country Championship teams, the first athletes in CIS history to have this distinction. Along with the graduation of two-time All-Canadian Jess Vanhie, the Gryphons will need some of their younger athletes to step up to fill the void left by these veterans.
Thankfully for Gryphon faithful the cupboards are stocked with plenty of athletes, and the Gryphons still return three All-Canadians from last year's CIS Championships, the most of any team in the country.
Leading the way, will be the top returner and last year's bronze medalist Genevieve Lalonde (Moncton, NB). Lalonde is coming off a strong summer season that saw her qualify for the World University Games and make the final in her specialty, the 3000 metre steeplechase. Fifth year senior Lindsay Furtado (Brampton, Ont.) enjoyed a breakthrough year which saw her garner All-Canadian honours in the fall and then place fourth in the 3000 metres at the CIS indoor championships. Last year's CIS Rookie of the Year, Emily Driedger (Georgetown, Ont.), had a very strong summer season that saw her represent Canada at the Pan-American Junior Track and Field Championships in Mirimar, Florida. Driedger was joined there by teammate Carise Thompson (Lynden, Ont.) who, while not representing the Gryphons at the CIS Cross Country Championships, did go on to run for Canada at the World Junior Cross Country Championships, a testament to the depth of the team. Track All-Canadians Jennie Biewald (Ottawa), Lydia Frost (Bocabec, NB) and Nadine Frost (Bocabec, NB) will also be looking to make an impact over Hill and Dale. Nadine Frost was 21st at last year's CIS Cross Country Championships, while Biewald and Lydia Frost were part of the Gryphons' podium sweep of the 1500 metres along with Cliff.
The Gryphons will also welcome a trio of newcomers expected to make an impact at the CIS Championships. Ciara Kary (Calgary) was runner-up at last year's Canadian Junior Cross Country Championsips finishing ahead of both Driedger and Thompson and is a veteran of two World Junior Cross Country Championships. Joanna Brown (Carp, Ont.) is a former Ontario High School Champion and one of the world's top junior triathletes. She finished third at the 2010 World Junior Triathlon Championships and sixth at the 2011 championships despite two falls on the bike. Andrea Seccafien is a third year transfer from Samford University. The Guelph native boasts an impressive life time best of 16 minutes and 52 seconds over 5000 metres.
The Gryphons will expect an extremely fierce challenge from 2010's runners-up McMaster, bronze medalists Calgary, fourth place finishers Victoria. It is a testament to the improving depth and caliber of the CIS that any one of these four teams would have been heavy favourites when the Gryphons streak started.
The Gryphons season will start this weekend with the Queen's Open. They will then make their annual trek to London for the bellwether competition, the Western International. The following week they will head down to Lehigh University for the Paul Short Run. After an off weekend for thanksgiving the Gryphons will play host to many of the OUA schools at the New Balance Vic Matthews Open. A small group will race the following weekend at Brock, before heading to the OUA Championships October 29th in Ottawa. Two weeks later the Gryphons will return to the site of two of their most recent successes as they head back to the Planes of Abraham for the CIS Championships November 12th.
