HAMILTON, Ont. – Mohawk Mountaineers cross country head coach
David Hopton has announced the program's 2025 recruiting class.
With six OCAA medals over the past four seasons – including two provincial championships – and two CCAA podium finishes, Hopton believes the latest additions position the team to once again content for top honours.
Joining the reigning OCAA women's cross country champions is international recruit Abril Sena (Mendoza, Argentina). On the men's side, new additions include Blaise Uglow (Schomberg, Ont.), Christian Jarosz (Burlington, Ont.) and Gavin Mathieson (Cayuga, Ont.).
Sena is new to competitive running, but has a background in basketball, as she looks to transition to a new sport.
"We've got a couple of our strong runners returning, and Abril will add even more depth to the team," said Hopton. "She's quickly shown a natural aptitude for running and works incredibly hard. We're excited to welcome her."
Uglow arrives with significant OCAA and CCAA experience, having previously competed for the Humber Polytechnic Hawks. He helped lead Humber to two OCAA bronze medals, earned All-Ontario honours twice, and was named an All-Canadian after placing eighth at the 2023 CCAA National Championships. He placed sixth and ninth at the past two OCAA Championships.
Notably, Uglow becomes Hopton's first transfer signing.
"Blaise is a standout talent, and we're fortunate to bring him into our program," said Hopton. "He hasn't always hit his potential in big races, but he's had All-Canadian-calibre performances. With a full, healthy season, we believe he'll shine when it matters most."
Jarosz joins Mohawk from the PACK Running Club. He also participated in track and field at Assumption Catholic Secondary School in Burlington, Ont., where he placed fifth in the 2000-metre steeplechase at OFSAA.
"Being top five in the province in steeplechase – one of the events most closely tied to cross country – is very encouraging," said Hopton. "Christian isn't straight out of high school, so to bring in someone with both experience and a strong track record is a huge asset."
Mathieson comes from the Hamilton Olympic Club, one of the city's premier track and field programs. At Cayuga High School, he earned team MVP honours three times.
"Gavin has shown some exceptional promise," said Hopton. "He hasn't always raced up to his potential that he's shown, so we're excited to see if he can crack the code and have the season we know he's capable of and he knows he's capable of."
Academically, Sena will be study Business Data Analytics, Uglow is enrolling in Health, Wellness and Fitness, and both Jarosz and Mathieson will both study Pre-health.
The 2025 OCAA cross country season begins on September 19 in King City, Ont. at the Seneca Invitational. Mohawk will also host two major events: the Mohawk Invitational on October 11, and
the 2025 OCAA Championships on Oct. 25, both at Marydale Park in Mount Hope, Ont.
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