With the day’s Championship races put to rest, Saturday evening marked a time to celebrate the successes of the best collegiate runners in Canada at the 2016 CCAA Cross Country All Canadian Awards Banquet held at the Quattro Hotel.
The night was a culmination of not only the National Champiopnships but the 2016 CCAA Cross Country season as a whole – a season which saw hundreds of student-athletes not only excel on courses across Canada but also in the classroom – enhancing each ones academic experience through sport.
The awards began with the 2016 CCAA Cross Country Coach of the Year sponsored by Josten’s and saw four very deserving coaches as nominees: Joy Galloway-Jones (Dalhousie AC / ACAA), Olivier Lavoie (College Lionel-Groulx / RSEQ), Kari Elliott (Red Deer College / ACAC) and Ashley Vandervecht (Fanshawe College / OCAA). The Josten’s CCAA Coach of the Year went to Olivier Lavoie of College Lionel-Groulx.
As the night progressed it came time to name the 2016 CCAA All Canadians in Cross Country; recognizing the top ten female and male runners in the country. The 2016 Women’s All Canadians were awarded as follows:
Women’s All Canadians
Jessy Lacourse – Cegep Garneau (RSEQ)
Mary Strain – Cambrian College (OCAA)
Jade Berube – College Lionel-Groulx (RSEQ)
Veronika Fagan – UBC-Okanagan (Pacwest)
Rachel McKenzie – Lethbridge College (ACAC)
Jordanna Cota – Red Deer College (ACAC)
Marianne Houle – Cegep de Trois-Rivieres (RSEQ)
Emily Spencer – Lethbridge College (ACAC)
Elodie De Coene – College Montmorency (RSEQ)
Kaitlin Shuvera – Humber College (OCAA)
The 2016 Men’s All Canadians were awarded as follows:
Men’s All Canadians
Seth Marcaccio – Fanshawe College (OCAA)
William Chemno – Centennial College (OCAA)
Felix Lapointe-Pilote – Cegep du Sherbrooke (RSEQ)
Jacob Smith – Conestoga College (OCAA)
Kevin Robertson – Cegep Andre-Laurendeau (RSEQ)
Rob Asselstine – St. Lawrence College Kingston (OCAA)
Emmanuel Champagne – College Lionel Groulx (RSEQ)
Perry MacKinnon - Cegep du Sherbrooke (RSEQ)
Riley Olesky – Fleming College (OCAA)
Jacques Saayman – Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (ACAC)
The night also saw Individual Medalists awarded in both the Female and Male races as follows:
Women’s 5 K
Gold - Jessy Lacourse – Cegep Garneau (RSEQ)
Silver - Mary Strain – Cambrian College (OCAA)
Bronze - Jade Berube – College Lionel-Groulx (RSEQ)
Men’s 8 K
Gold - Seth Marcaccio – Fanshawe College (OCAA)
Silver - William Chemno – Centennial College (OCAA)
Bronze - Felix Lapointe-Pilote – Cegep du Sherbrooke (RSEQ)
Up next were the team awards for the 2016 CCAA Cross Country Championships; highlighting the true strategic nature of the sport. On the Women’s side a new Canadian champion was crowned as the Heat from University of British Columbia – Okanagan lead by All-Canadian Veronika Fagan claimed team Gold while the Queens of Red Deer College took home Silver and the Nordiques of College Lionel-Groulx earned Bronze.
On the Men’s side the Volontaires of Cegep du Sherbrooke repeated their 2015 crown as Gold Medalists led by All Canadians Felix Lapointe-Pilote and Perry MacKinnon. The Falcons from Fanshawe College claimed Silver and the Boomerang of Cegep Andre-Laurendeau took home the Bronze.
The evening closed with Sault College Athletic Director Scott Gray bestowing the Hosting Banner for the 2017 CCAA Championships to Nathalie Blanchette of College Lionel-Groulx. Gray stated “ we are extremely humbled and proud to have played host to this prestigious event and hope the memories created will last for all the student-athletes long after their running careers are done.”
Sault College would like to say thank you to all who made the event a success Crimson Ridge, Quattro Hotel, the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Tourism SSM, and all of those who came from coast to coast across Canada. We will see you next year in La Belle Province!
Source: Sault College Athletics
