October 27, 2012 (HALIFAX, N.S.) – The StFX X-Men and X-Women capped a successful AUS cross country season as they claimed both the men`s and women’s team banners, while StFX`s Connor McGuire and UNB`s Frida Aspnaes won the individual gold medals, Saturday afternoon at the 2012 Subway AUS cross country championship hosted by Dalhousie University.
It marked the fifth AUS banner in the past seven years for the defending champion X-Men, while the X-Women claimed their sixth AUS title in the last eight years.
Full Results:
Men:
http://www.atlanticuniversitysport.com/mens/crosscountry/2012_AUS_Championship_M.pdf
Women:
http://www.atlanticuniversitysport.com/womens/crosscountry/2012_AUS_Championship_W.pdf
In the men`s 10-kilometre event, the X-Men placed six runners in the top 10 to finish with 24 points in the team standings. McGuire, who hails from Summerside, P.E.I., crossed the finish line in 32:22, two seconds ahead of the Dalhousie`s Matt McNeil (32:24). Scott Donald, also from StFX, rounded out the podium with a time of 32:51.
Dalhousie was second in the men`s team standings with 61 points and Memorial third with 94.
StFX swept the AUS men`s major awards as McGuire was named the AUS cross country athlete of the year for the second consecutive season and also received the student-athlete community service award.
Donald, a first-year runner from Ottawa, Ont., was named the AUS rookie of the year and StFX head coach Bernie Chisholm was selected as the AUS men`s coach of the year.
In the women’s five-kilometre event, the X-Women placed four runners in the top 10 to finish with 37 points in the women`s team standings. Dalhousie was second with 45 points while the UNB Varsity Reds finished third with 60.
UNB`s Aspnaes, a native of Sweden, won the individual gold medal in a time of 17:56, eight seconds ahead of Dalhousie`s Holly Van Gestel. Finishing third was Memorial University`s Caroline McIlroy in a time of 18:16.
Aspnaes, who won every AUS race she participated in this season, was also honoured as the 2012 AUS athlete of the year this evening.
Dalhousie`s Vanessa Linton was named the AUS rookie of the year, St. Thomas Tommies runner Kyla Tanner received the student-athlete community service award and Bernie Chisholm swept the coach of the year awards, taking home the women`s honour as well.
“I am extremely proud of both the men’s and women’s teams,” said StFX University head coach Bernie Chisholm. “The women dug deep and turned out an outstanding performance for the championship win and our men’s team ran a tremendous race, running in a pack staying strong through to the finish.”
The 2012 CIS cross country championship takes place Saturday, November 10th at Western University in London, Ont.
2012 AUS major award recipients:
Women:
AUS Athlete of the Year: UNB - Frida Aspnaes
AUS Rookie of the Year: Dalhousie - Vanessa Linton
AUS Coach of the Year: StFX - Bernie Chisholm
AUS Student-Athlete Community Service Award: St. Thomas - Kyla Tanner
Men:
AUS Athlete of the Year: StFX - Connor McGuire
AUS Men's Rookie of the Year: StFX - Scott Donald
AUS Men's Coach of the Year: StFX - Bernie Chilsom
AUS Student-Athlete Community Service Award: StFX - Connor McGuire
2012 AUS cross country all-stars: (top seven finishers):
WOMEN
UNB - Frida Aspnaes
Dalhousie - Holly Van Gestel
Memorial - Caroline McIlroy
StFX - Melissa Hardy
StFX - Natalie Kannenberg
StFX - Lynette Manuel
Dalhousie - Ellen Chappell
MEN
StFX - Connor McGuire
Dalhousie - Matt McNeil
StFX - Scott Donald
Moncton - Jeremie Pellerin
StFX - Lee Wesselius
StFX - Dennis Kayumba
Memorial - Graham MacDonald