Third place team finish for Axewomen Cross Country

ANTIGONISH, N.S. - The Acadia Axewomen cross country team completed the AUS season with a third place team finish. The hometown StFX X-Men and the Dalhousie Tigers (women) raced to first place at the Subway AUS Cross Country Championships.

In the 6k Women's race, the Tigers finished first, with 22 points, followed by the X-Women (52) and Acadia Axewomen (93), in second and third, respectively. 

Colleen Wilson (Ancaster, ON), in 21:29, and Sarah Myatt, of Fredericton, NB (22:37) raced to first and second, individually, to lead Dalhousie to the team title. 

Liz MacDonald, Bedford, NS (22:47), who raced to third, was the top X-Women finisher. 

Rounding out the top-seven were DAL's Jenna MacDonald, New Glasgow, NS, (fourth, 22:57); StFX's Mary MacDonald (Kingston, ON, fifth, 23:07), DAL's Michaela Walker, Summerside, PEI, (sixth, 23:18); and Université de Moncton's Carol Ann MacDonald (seventh, 23:20). 

Following the races, the AUS all-stars were awarded to the top seven finishers in each race at the annual championship banquet, as were the individual medalists, team medalists and AUS championship banners. 

The winners of the AUS rookie of the year awards were Alicia Henry (Riverview, NB) from Acadia and Trent Lynds (Truro, NS) from Dalhousie University. Henry fell short by one place to be named as an AUS All-Star in her rookie season.

The top five runners of each team score points and today four of the five Acadia runners were rookies along with second year runner Chrissy Smith. Axewomen head coach Ralph Williams was pleased with the team's performance in the championship race and season.

"Christine (assistant coach) and I decided last year that we would developed a winning vision for the team and pass that vision on to the team and they understood that", noted Williams. "The team was so consistent with their training and their effort that it paid off today at the AUS Championships."

Dalhousie's Jenna MacDonald (New Glasgow, NS) and Saint Mary's Cameron Taylor (Halifax, NS) were honored as the AUS Student-Athlete Community Service award winners. 

Rich Lehman (Dalhousie) received the AUS women's coach of the year award.

The AUS athletes of the year were awarded to the individual AUS champions, Colleen Wilson from Dalhousie and Calvin DeWolfe from StFX. 

The U Sports championship meet will take place Saturday, Nov. 12 at the University of Laval in Quebec City.