X-Men claim fifth consecutive AUS title

X-Men claim fifth consecutive AUS title

Fredericton, NB – The X-Men cross country team are the 2015 AUS champions, running to their fifth consecutive conference title Saturday afternoon at Odell Park.

StFX runners placed second through sixth respectively, en route to a convincing victory with 20 team points. Dalhousie placed second with 39 and Memorial was third with 111.

Rounding out the team results were UNB (116), Moncton (145), Saint Mary's (169), UPEI (196) and St. Thomas (215).

Fourth year X-Men runner Scott Donald (Ottawa, ON), the 2014 individual AUS champion, was second this year, completing the 10k course in a time of 31:52. Dalhousie's Matt McNeil was the race winner at 31:14.

Calvin DeWolfe (Bridgewater, NS) claimed individual bronze for StFX, racing at 32:07. Alex Cyr (Abram-Village, PE) was fourth, clocking in at 32:21, while X-Men Lee Wesselius (River Glade, NB, 32:33), Riley Johnston (Pembroke, ON, 32:38) and Angus Rawling (Calgary, AB, 32:40) were fifth through seventh, respectively.

Antigonish, NS native Paul MacLellan (33:53) placed 15th overall amidst the field of 53 competitors.

Angus Rawling earned the AUS male rookie of the year award as the top first year runner at the championship, while Alex Cyr was honored as the AUS student-athlete community award recipient. 

Veteran StFX head coach Bernie Chisholm received his 17th AUS coach of the year award as he was recognized as the AUS men's coach of the year.

In the women's 6k race, the X-Women placed second overall, totaling 55 points to Dalhousie's 15. Moncton was third with 112, followed by Memorial (117), Saint Mary's (138), Acadia (144), UNB (168) and St. Thomas (245).

First year X-Women runner Hana Marmura, an Antigonish, NS native, was the top StFX runner, placing sixth overall with a time of 23:17. Marmura also claimed AUS female rookie of the year honors.

Dalhousie runners finished in first through fifth positions, including the top three competitors Colleen Wilson (21:46), Michelle Reddy (21:59) and Jenna MacDonald (22:32).

For the X-Women, Jasmine DeZeeuw (Mount Pearl, NF) and Kendra MacNeil (Antigonish, NS) came in 10th and 11th with times of 23:39 and 23:44.

Catherine Thompson (Blenheim, ON, 24:21) was 13th, followed by Liz MacDonald (Bedford, NS, 24:37) in 15th, Victoria Sandre (Greely, ON, 24:42) in 16th and Leah Gouthro (Hammonds Plains, NS, 24:46) in 17th.

Gouthro was also honored as the AUS female student-athlete community service award winner.

The StFX runners will advance to the CIS national championship on Saturday, November 14th in Guelph, ON. 

2015 Subway AUS Championship Results & Award Winners

Women's:

Gold: Colleen Wilson, DAL
Silver: Michelle Reddy, DAL
Bronze: Jenna MacDonald, DAL

Men's:
Gold: Matt McNeil, DAL
Silver: Scott Donald, StFX
Bronze: Cal Dewolfe, StFX

Team (women's):
1. Dalhousie Tigers
2. StFX X-Women
3. UdeM Aigles Bleues
4. Memoria Sea-Hawks
5. Saint Mary's Huskies
6. Acadia Axewomen
7. University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds
8. St. Thomas Tommies 

Team (men's):
1. StFX X-Men
2. Dalhousie Tigers
3. Memorial Sea-Hawks
4. UNB Varsity Reds
5. UdeM Aigles Bleus
6. Saint Mary's Huskies
7. University of Prince Edward Island Panthers
8. St. Thomas Tommies 
 
2015 AUS cross country major award winners and all-stars:

Women's:

Athlete of the year: Colleen Wilson, DAL
Coach of the year: Rich Lehman, Dal
Rookie of the year: Hana Marmura, StFX
Student-athlete community service award: Leah Gouthro, StFX

All-star team (top 7)

Colleen Wilson, DAL
Michelle Reddy, DAL
Jenna MacDonald, DAL
Kayte Kowal, DAL
Emily Clarke, DAL
Hana Marmura, StFX
Emily Ferguson, DAL

Men's:

Athlete of the year: Matt McNeil, DAL
Coach of the year: Bernie Chisholm, StFX
Rookie of the year: Angus Rawling, StFX
Student-athlete community service award: Alex Cyr, StX

All-star team (top 7)

Matt McNeil, DAL
Scott Donald, StFX
Cal Dewolfe, StFX
Alex Cyr, StFX
Lee Wesselius, StFX
Riley Johnston, StFX
Angus Rawling, StFX