CCAA Championships Preview: Mountaineers cross country aim high at nationals

WINDSOR, Ont. – The Mohawk Mountaineers cross country teams are poised for strong performances at the 2024 CCAA National Championships, taking place on November 9 at Malden Park in Windsor, Ont.

Heading into the final race of the season, the Mohawk women's team is ranked No.2 nationally, while the men's team holds the No. 6 spot in their division. The women's team claimed provincial gold at the OCAA Championships two weeks ago, while the men earned a silver medal with a second-place finish.

This year, the CCAA is introducing a mixed-team championship, where the top three finishers from both the men's and women's races will be combined to determine the overall team champion.

Season Recap:

Race Event	Women's Team	Men's Team
St. Clair Invitational	First overall	Second overall
Seneca Invitational	First overall	Second overall
Centennial Invitational	First overall	Second overall
OCAA Championships	First overall	Second overall

Top Runners:

Albert Lanting (Caledonia, Ont.) – Lanting had the best individual finish for a Mohawk runner at the OCAA Championships, earning himself a silver medal. It was Lanting's best career finish. At the three invitational races, the second-year runner placed sixth, fifth and third overall.
Annie Sterenberg (Vineland, Ont.) – Leading the way for the women's team, Sterenberg has not finished below sixth at any race this season. The second-year placed fifth overall during the provincial championship.
Zoe Thibault (Grimsby, Ont.) – Thibault has been one of three runners on the women's team to consistently finish top-10 at all races this year. The second-year has three seven-place finishes and her best result came at the Centennial Invitational, where she placed fifth.
Tori Hendriks (Beamsville, Ont.) – Hendriks is the third member of the big three on the women's team. She has four top-10 finishes with a seventh-place result, two eighth place finishes and a ninth-place finish.
Sage Sulentic (Dundas, Ont.) – A year removed from an individual OCAA bronze medal, Sulentic will be key to the men's teams overall result. At the three invitational races, Sulentic finished within the top-10 and ran a 14^th place result at the OCAA Championships.
Yassin Saleh (Hamilton, Ont.) – Saleh has showcased growth in his second-year with Mohawk. This year, Saleh finished top-15 at all three invitationals with two top-10 results. The second-year runner will look to bounce back from the OCAA Championships, where he finished 19^th.

CCAA Championship History:

At the 2023 CCAA Championships, the women's cross country team had a top-10 finish placing ninth overall. The men's team was just shy of a top-10 finish, placing 11^th.

Saturday's CCAA Championships will begin at 11 a.m. with the women's race and the men will follow at 12 p.m.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Satbir Singh
Sports Information, Media & Marketing Coordinator
satbir.sing6@mohawkcollege.ca

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Players Mentioned

Albert Lanting: 5' 8"; Freshman

Yassin Saleh: 5' 8"; Freshman

Sage Sulentic: 5' 7"; Freshman

Annie Sterenberg: 5' 4"; Sophomore

Zoe Thibault: 5' 7"; Freshman

Tori Hendriks: 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Albert Lanting
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Yassin Saleh
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Sage Sulentic
: 5' 7"; Freshman

Annie Sterenberg
: 5' 4"; Sophomore

Zoe Thibault
: 5' 7"; Freshman

Tori Hendriks
: 5' 10"; Freshman