By Jake Webb
Last year, a young Tigers team was determined to return to the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Championship and capture the title for the ninth time in a row. Unfortunately, the St. Francis Xavier X-Women finished off their own remarkable season by winning their first championship in eight years, dethroning the Tigers in the process.
This season, the Tigers are geared up and ready to return to the AUS championship this October and regain the title.
Third-year Kelsey Hogan led the way for the Tigers last year, earning three top-10 finishes to be named the team MVP.
Head coach Rich Lehman believes Hogan was instrumental in their second-place finish at the AUS championship. She posted a time of 30:37 in the 8km race to place third in the event to earn a spot on the AUS all-star team.
“Like last year, we'll be leaning on Kelsey Hogan to lead us at the conference championship,” says Lehman. “But I think our next group is ready to be much closer to her than they were last season.”
Lehman cites third-year Lauren Lowther, who finished in 15th place at last year’s championship as another one to watch this season. “Lauren in particular looks like she's ready to challenge for a conference all-star spot and possibly a medal,” adds Lehman.
Also contributing to the team’s overall second place-finish were Jayne Borrens (9th), Mackenzie Kitchen (11th), Renata Kingston (16th), and Frances Wright (21st).
Lehman believes that his team performed admirably during the championship, and is proud of their tough composure.
“With such a young team it would have been easy to melt down early in the season,” says Lehman. “But I thought we had our best performance at the AUS championship.”
Hogan and Borrens were the lone Tigers at the U SPORTS championship, the final race of the season, finishing in 42nd and 78th respectively.
Lehman wants the team to return to the U SPORTS championship, and believes he has the athletes to do it.
“Our team is excited about what I believe will be one of the more competitive AUS women's cross country seasons in recent memory,” he says. “Our group is a year older and stronger. I expect us to have a few more bodies mixing it up at the front of the race this year.”
Lehman is geared up to regain the AUS championship title from the X-Women, but they are not the only threat to the Tigers success.
“STFX is definitely the favourite again this year. They return the core of their team from last year and have added some very strong and experienced rookies,” Lehman says. “UNB is also a much better team than they have been, and I expect them to factor into this year's championship.”
The season starts on Saturday, September 17th with an invitational hosted by STFX in Antigonish, followed by a meet on October 1st, hosted by the l’Université de Moncton.
UPEI will play host for the AUS championship on October 29, while Dalhousie and SMU will co-host the national championship on Saturday, November 12 at the Links at Brunello Golf Course in Timberlea, NS.