2024 ACAC Running Room Cross Country Championship Recap

Calgary, AB - October 26, 2024 - On a stunning fall day, October 26, 2024, the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Cross Country Championships took place at St. Mary's University, proudly sponsored by Running Room. The campus buzzed with excitement as 62 competitors from 11 schools lined up for the women's 6km race, kicking off the championship at noon.

Cadence Laplante of St. Mary's University showcased an outstanding performance, capturing the ACAC title and the Runner of the Year award with an impressive time of 24:32. Close on her heels was Hannah Pilling from Lethbridge Polytechnic, who finished second with a strong showing of 24:47 and earned the title of ACAC Rookie of the Year. Rounding out the top three was Madison Scrimger from Medicine Hat College, who crossed the finish line in 24:58.

The team results saw Red Deer Polytechnic Queens clinching the gold medal, followed by the Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks with silver, and the NAIT Ooks securing the bronze. The all-conference team, which included the top three finishers, also recognized the talents of Kerigan Frampton and Sonjaa Schmidt from SAIT, Ashley Walker from Concordia, and Justine Larson from Red Deer Polytechnic.

The men's race commenced at 1:00 PM, featuring a field of 69 runners competing in the 8km distance. SAIT Polytechnic Trojans delivered a dominant performance, sweeping the top four spots. Nathan Woyessa took gold and the Runner of the Year title with an impressive time of 25:50, followed by Yahye Jama in second place at 26:18, and Maximus Thiessen captured bronze with a time of 26:27.

The men's all-conference team included Moktar Said (SAIT), Tyson Versteeg (NAIT), who was also named ACAC Rookie of the Year, Reggie Williams (UAA), and Josh Kujat (TKU). SAIT took home the top team gold with a remarkable score of 10, while Lethbridge earned silver with 47 points, and NAIT Ooks rounded out the podium with a score of 64. Coach Simon Schaerz from Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks was honored with the Coach of the Year award.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our sponsor, Running Room, for their invaluable support in making the 2024 ACAC Running Room Cross Country Championship a tremendous success. The day was not only a showcase of athletic excellence but also a celebration of sportsmanship and camaraderie among the competitors. Congratulations to all the athletes and teams who participated and made this championship a memorable event!