University of Guelph athletes have excelled in recent days, reaching the podium numerous times in track and field, winning national wrestling medals and advancing in playoff competition in men’s hockey.
For the fourth straight year, the men’s and women’s teams won the Ontario University Athletics track and field championships held Feb. 21-22 at York University. U of G athletes amassed nine gold medals, set national, OUA and school records, and had 37 podium finishes.
Among the gold medallists were Sadie-Jane Hickson in the women’s 1,000-metre run, Tamia Noel in women’s shot put, Geoff Eyjolfsson in men’s heptathlon and Benayo Olak in men’s high jump.
Associate head coach Jason Kerr said it was a special weekend.
“I don’t think you can say enough about the character and resilience that this team has shown,” he said. “You don’t make it through the year we’ve had and perform like this without a lot of incredible people leading the charge: student-athletes, coaches, support staff, medical staff, administrative staff.”
The Gryphons will compete in U Sports track and field championships March 5 at the University of Alberta.
In U Sports wrestling championships held this past weekend in St. Catharines, Ont., Gryphons reached the podium four times. Gold medals went to Alex Chaves in the men’s 72kg event and Kyle Robinson, men’s 57kg. Job Reinhart won bronze in the men’s 100kg, and Hannah Little won bronze in the women’s 55kg.
The men’s hockey team will play in the OUA West final for the second straight year after defeating the Brock Badgers in a 2-1 overtime victory Friday. Centre Luke Kutkevicius scored the winning goal. The Gryphons swept the playoff series in two straight games.
The women’s hockey team lost 2-1 against the Toronto Varsity Blues at Gryphon Centre, ending their season. Toronto advances to the semi-finals in OUA playoffs.
Six Gryphons represented U of G at U Sports swimming championships held Feb. 20-22 in Victoria, B.C.
Sam Kuntz qualified for the ‘A’ finals in the men’s backstroke, finishing his varsity season ranked 8th in the country. Shania Van Herk won the ‘B’ final in the women’s 50-metre backstroke, making her the 9th-ranked swimmer nationally in the category.
The U of G women’s volleyball team won 3-2 at Waterloo to clinch 3rd place in the OUA West division. The men’s team won 3-0 at Waterloo to finish 2nd in OUA West competition.
At the Nordic skiing championships Feb. 22, Gryphon rookie Alec MacLean earned OUA all-star status in multiple events after a pair of 4th-place finishes.
Runner Zoe Sherar and wrestler Alexander Chaves have been named Gryphon Muscle MLK Athletes of the Week. Sherar took home three gold medals at the OUA Track and Field Championships, while Chaves defended his title as national champion om the men’s 72kg weight class.
For complete results, visit https://gryphons.ca/