GUELPH, Ont. – Throughout the 2021-22 season, the University of Guelph Department of Athletics will be highlighting various members from our Gryphon varsity programs as part of our "BioSteel Gryphon Athletes of the Week" series. This week's edition features
Mitchell Ubene (CROSS) and
Olivia Rizakos (WSCR) for the period ending Sept. 26, 2021.
Mitchell Ubene (Men's Cross Country)
Mitchell Ubene excelled at the first meet of the 2021 cross country season with an exceptional run to earn the title of BioSteel Gryphon Athlete of the Week. Ubene dominated the Western Invitational this past weekend (Saturday, Sept. 25) with an impressive performance in the Men's 8km run, where he finished 1st overall in a strong field of 119 runners. Posting a time of 25:21, Ubene finished ahead of several of the top collegiate distance runners in the country.
Recently,
Canadian Running Magazine announced its preseason rankings for U SPORTS men's cross country in 2021. In those rankings, McMaster was ranked No. 1 with the Laval Rouge et Or at No. 2, with the Gryphons coming in at No. 3. On Saturday in London, both McMaster and Laval sent their top athletes to the meet, with Alex Drover (McMaster), Jean-Simon Desgagnes and Thomas Fafard (Laval) all competing in the stacked field. When the dust settled, however, it was Guelph's
Mitchell Ubene crossing the finish line first, something the native of Tecumseh, ON has become accustomed to during his time as a Gryphon.
At the 2019 OUA Cross Country Championships, Ubene became the 14th individual in program history to earn the title of men's individual champion at an OUA Championship meet. Ubene, who is in the first year of his Masters in mechanical engineering, has been just as impressive academically as he has been athletically. Following the 2019-20 season, Ubene was named the University of Guelph President's Trophy winner (given annually to the top male and female athlete who excel both athletically as well as academically). Mitchell's oustanding performance at the season-opening meeting in London sets the stage for another stellar season for the veteran leader and team captain of the Gryphons men's cross country team.
Olivia Rizakos (Women's Soccer)
Olivia Rizakos has earned this week's title of BioSteel Gryphon Athlete of the Week following a memorable performance from start to finish in an exciting match against the Windsor Lancers this weekend (Sunday, Sept. 26). Olivia kicked off this season's women's soccer home opener with a hat trick to propel her team to a 4-1 victory over the visiting Lancers.
Rizakos opened the scoring early in the match at the 3rd-minute mark for the Gryphons first goal of the 2021 season (following a scoreless draw midweek in Windsor). Olivia carried that momentum in the second half of the game to convert on another goal in the 76th minute, before completing the hat trick in stoppage time (92') to help lift the Gryphons to a 4-1 victory.
Rizakos, a second-year political science major, hails from Toronto, ON and is now in her second season with the program, but first season of on-field action following the cancellation of the 2020 campaign. "Olivia has worked very hard through training camp," says Gryphons head coach
Shayne Campbell. "She has a great first touch and a tireless work ethic. She took her attacking moments very well in the game and was calm and composed to finish the chances that came her way". With the opening week of OUA women's soccer now in the books,
Olivia Rizakos is tied for the conference-lead in goals, alongside McMaster's Megan Mamela and Queen's University's Cecilia Ray.
"Gryphon Athletes of the Week" for 2021-22
