Running under the radar is something the University of Calgary cross-country team is used to.
The U of C’s program is consistently among the best in the nation, but somehow, they go unnoticed, overshadowed in the fall by football, soccer and the upcoming hockey season.
Nevertheless, the Dinos keep up the fight. In recent weeks, the men’s team, currently ranked fourth in Canada, has finished first at the University of Saskatchewan Open, and third at the Washington State Invitational. The women’s team isn’t far behind, having come in third in Saskatchewan and fourth in Washington.
Leading the way for the men is Geoff Kerr, who had a third-place individual finish at Washington State. A first-year Dino, Kerr was the top high school runner in Alberta last year. Nathan Kendrick and Teles Kananga were All-Canadians last year, and have returned for further glory. Rounding out the top spots on the men’s team are veteran Aaron Swanson, and Ian Manyfingers, in his first season with the Dinos after beginning his career in Idaho.
The women’s team was led by Shannon Slater’s sixth-place finish in Washington. Slater is backed up by fellow veterans Jackie Jones and Beth Trites, and rookies Carla Boseman, Natalie Thomson and Melissa Kalyn.
While the Dinos were running against NCAA opponents such as Washington State and Boise State, their Canada West rivals from the universities of Alberta and Saskatchewan were competing at a meet in Victoria.
The results from the Victoria meet “will give us a pretty good idea how we stack up in Canada West,” said Dinos Head Coach Doug Lamont.
While the Canada West meet has been eliminated from the schedule this year, the Dinos still can look forward to the Alberta Championships in Edmonton on Oct. 26, followed by the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Championships on Nov. 9 in London, Ontario, where the men’s team should compete for a national title.
“Hopefully after the 26th, the women will be ranked in the top ten as well,” said Lamont. “It’s always good to send a competitive team to CI’s.”