A newcomer to the team and a much-improved local veteran grabbed the biggest accolades recently as the Laurentian University Voyageurs Women's and Men's Cross-Country Running Teams returned from London, site of the 2022 Ontario University (OUA) Championships.

Competing over an eight kilometre circuit on the Thames Valley Golf Course, the Voyageur women placed 10th in Ontario, led by fourth year health promotion student Angela Mozzon. The graduate of St Benedict Catholic Secondary School placed 37th overall in a time of 32:58.

"That was a breakout performance by Angela today", noted assistant coach Dick Moss. "Her progression over four years with our squad has been remarkable. Her time today is almost four minutes faster than she ran in her rookie season."

"She has worked really hard, so it is great to see her running so well."

Unfortunately, the Voyageurs were without the services of Pascale Gendron, the Toronto native who had led the team throughout the season and appeared poised to take a run at the top of the OUA rankings but unable to finish the race due to an injury.

The Voyageurs were a tightly bunched group this year with Kristen Mrozewski (Sudbury - 48th - 33:28), Sarah Booth (Peterborough - 51st - 33:42), Meredith Kusnierczyk (Sudbury - 57th - 34:40), Ashley Valentini (Oshawa - 68th - 36:27) and Abbey Maillet (Dundas - 76th - 37:21).

Seamus Doherty, the first year Sports Administration student who has enjoyed a freshman season to remember, capped it off by helping the L.U. men to a 12th place finish, cracking the top 40th with a time of 26:55.

The Halton Hills native created some solid separation from teammates Nick Lambert (Elliot Lake - 72nd - 29:02), Patrick Leroux (Wingham - 77th - 29:52), Cameron Date (Haileybury - 84th - 30:17), Brandon Radey (Sudbury - 85th - 30:27), Travis Annett (Sudbury - 90th - 31:14) and Kevin Yuan (China - 93rd - 31:43).

"Seamus has really established himself at the OUA level this year," noted Laurentian head coach Darren Jermyn. "He was the fifth best rookie finisher in the field today and set a new personal best time over eight kilometres."

"I'm very proud of how both squads handled themselves throughout a challenging season and how they performed today."

The athletes and coaches will now turn their attention to the 2022-23 OUA Indoor Track and Field season.