by Cody Baugh

The women’s track and field team extended one of the longest championship streaks in AUS history with their 27th straight AUS title this season. The ladies had six individual champions including three multiple event winners.

Leading up to the AUS and CIS championships, the Tigers competed in eight different meets. At the ANS Open in November, the Tigers won 11 individual events. Sarah Taplin and Shawna McKay led the way for the Tigers, winning two events each.

At the Jump Start Athletics Open in Moncton, the Tigers captured gold in six events. Jessica Shannon and Chantelle Robbertse won two events apiece. The next day, runners Michelle Reddy, Abby Llewellyn, Colleen Wilson and Kayte Kowal all had wins at the ANS Open.

The next weekend, Macayla Cullen and Heather Grandy won their events and the Tigers won both the 4x400m and 4x800m relays at the third ANS Open. The Tigers sent a small group to the McGill Team Challenge where Jessica Shannon won the shot put and all three relay teams found the top of the podium to end the month of January.

In February, Morgan Hawkes, Elizabeth Comeau, Kate Scallion and Heather Grandy all claimed victory at the Tigers Track Classic. Seven different Tigers won events at the Saint Mary’s Open while Chantelle Robbertse won the pentathlon at the Windsor Team Challenge.

At the AUS championships the Tigers combined to win nine individual events and all three relays to take home the AUS championship banner. Sarah Taplin was named the AUS field athlete of the year and Rich Lehman received his fourth consecutive coach of the year honour. Morgan Hawkes received the AUS student-athlete community service award. Shannay Beals, Heather Beaton, Macayla Cullen, Sonja Gashus, Morgan Hawkes, Abby Llewellyn, Jenna MacDonald, Shawna McKay, Michaela Walker, Michelle Reddy, Chantelle Robbertse, Jessica Shannon, Sydney Smith, Colleen Wilson were all named to the AUS all-star team.

Shannay Beals had a great season, earning a bronze medal in the 60m dash at the CIS championship. She was the AUS champion in the same event. Celia Peters also had a great year placing fifth in the 1000m in her fifth and final season with the Tigers.

Chantelle Robbertse competed in four events at the CIS championship, placing eighth in the long jump and 10th in the both the high jump and pentathlon. Robbertse was a two-time AUS champion winning the long jump and indoor pentathlon.

Macayla Cullen took home gold in the AUS high jump finals and placed sixth at the CIS championship, while Sarah Taplin had the same result in triple jump.

Jessica Shannon proved her ability to compete both on the track and the field with a gold medal in both the 60m hurdles and shot put at the AUS championship. Shannon also had ninth place finish in pentathlon at the CIS championships.