2024 men’s U Sports cross country pre-season power rankings – Canadian Running Magazine

Just as the autumn leaves begin to change colours, the Canadian university cross-country standings from past years change too. That’s right–it’s time for our annual pre-season U Sports cross-country power rankings.

Here’s how our rankings operate: when a team secures a win, their position in the rankings ascends, while any losses will knock them down in the standings. We’ll be providing updates to these rankings every two weeks throughout the season as we build up to the 2024 U Sports Championships scheduled for Nov. 9 at Mission Recreation Park in Kelowna, B.C..

10. Western Mustangs (OUA)

9. McMaster Marauders (OUA)

8. McGill Redbirds (RSEQ)

7. Victoria Vikes (CanWest)

6. University of New Brunswick Reds (AUS)

5. Sherbrooke Vert et Or (RSEQ)

4. Guelph Gryphons (OUA)

3. UBC Thunderbirds (CanWest)

2. Laval Rouge et Or (RSEQ)

1. Queen’s Gaels (OUA)

Unlike the women’s side, the men’s team rosters have seen major changes. UBC’s Andrew Davies and John Perrier both capped off their final year of university eligibility with their top-five finishes at the 2023 U Sports Championships, helping to bring home the team title for the Thunderbirds. The Rouge et Or team, last year’s runner-ups, also enters the season without two of their valuable scorers, Jonathan Tedeschi and Paris Olympic finalist Jean-Simon Desgagnés. The absence of these athletes will certainly affect the depth of the UBC and Laval squads–leaving the team title up for grabs.

The Queens Gaels enter the year as the top-ranked team in the country; all seven members of their third-place squad from the 2023 U Sports championships are returning. First-team all-Canadians Jude Wheeler-Dee and Roman Mironov will be key members of the team once again, having helped carry the Gaels to a third-place finish last year. Ethan Rashid-Cocker and Angus Skinner both put on impressive performances last year as rookies in the U Sports scene–they are surely set to bring their A-game even more this year with experience under their belts. Team veterans Will Cox, Miles Brackenbury and Tanner Hueglin round out the competition roster that just might break a 40-year-old curse; the Queen’s men’s team hasn’t won a U Sports Championship team title since 1984.

Individual title contenders

Philippe Morneau-Cartier (Laval Rouge et Or)
Matthew Beaudet (McGill Redbirds)
Jared Howse (UNB Reds)
Jude Wheeler-Dee (Queen’s Gaels)
Max Davies (Guelph Gryphons)
Jonathan Podbielski (Regina Cougars)
Nolan Turgeon (Sherbrooke Vert et Or)
Jacob Benoit (Dalhousie Tigers)

2024 women’s U Sports cross country pre-season power rankings

This 2024 U Sports Cross Country season will be brought to you by Under Armour. Each week, we will be selecting a top performer of the week in the run-up to the 2024 U Sports Championships. The winners will get exclusive UA gear and an interview on Canadian Running.