The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's and women's track and field teams are in Windsor, Ont., for the 2015 CIS championships, March 12-14, at St. Denis Centre.

The three-day event, hosted by the University of Windsor for the first time since 2010, gets underway Thursday at 11:30 a.m. with the season awards luncheon at the Holiday Inn & Suites.

The first final of the national meet, the women's weight throw, follows shortly after at 2 p.m. The championships conclude Saturday afternoon with the always exciting 4x400 relays. Select events will be webcast live daily at CIS-SIC.tv.

The No. 1 nationally ranked U of T women are coming off a dominant performance at the OUA championships two weeks ago, where they claimed their first provincial title since 2004.

"Both our men and women's teams have had an outstanding season," said U of T head coach Carl Georgevski. "Our coaches have done an exceptional job with this group of talented student athletes. Our goal for the weekend is for everyone to run, jump and throw a personal best. The track and field programs in CIS are amazingly strong and we will have to be at our best to be on the podium."

Veteran distance runner Sasha Gollish was named the OUA women's overall most valuable performer, after claiming four gold medals at the OUA meet. Gollish, along with Gabriella Stafford, Rachel Jewett and Honor Walmsley, set a new Canadian record in the 4x800 relay, and also earned the 600m, 1500m and 3000m titles. Jewett and Fiona Callender completed the podium sweep, finishing second and third, respectively in the 600m.

Stafford, the 2014 OUA cross country individual silver medalist, is sure to challenge for the podium whenever on the track, while veteran Hayley Warren looks for her second 60m hurdles national title in the past three years this weekend.

Danielle Delage, the OUA pentathlon gold medalist, will test her talents versus the best in the CIS, while Maggie Hanlon vies for the 300m podium after winning the individual title at the conference level two weeks ago.

Julia Stille medalled in both long and triple jump at the OUA meet, and Ekua Cudjoe, U of T's lone female thrower, and will kick the meet off in the women's weight throw on Thursday afternoon.

Leading Toronto's men are veterans Greg MacNeill and James Turner. MacNeill is a two-time OUA 60m hurdles champion and looks to improve upon his silver medal finish at last year's CIS championships. Similarly, Turner is a two-time OUA pentathlon champion and is vying for his first podium finish at nationals after placing fourth in 2013.

Middle distance specialist Sacha Smart is also after his first national podium finish. Smart is coming off silver-medal finishes in both the 600m and 1000m at the OUA meet, and is also expected to compete in the 1500m.

In the field, Marc McGuire looks for a top three finish in the triple jump, while Adam Karakolis leads U of T's throwers and will compete in the weight throw and shot put events. 

NOTES: The list of CIS season awards (female & male) which will be handed out at Thursday's luncheon includes: athletes of the year in track events and field events, rookies of the year, student-athlete community service awards... More individual honours will come on Saturday following the championships, including female and male meet MVPs, as well as coaches of the year in women's and men's competition... The coaches of the year receive the Sue Wise Award (women) and Bob Boucher Award (men), while the male championship MVP merits the George Gemer Award...
 
TOP-RANKED ATHLETES GOING INTO CIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
 
Complete CIS individual & team rankings: http://www.trackie.com/CIS/TNF/Rankings/?lang=fr
 
WOMEN
60m: Khamica Bingham, York (7.23)
300m: Maggie Hanlon, Toronto (39.60)
600m: Rachel François, Victoria (1:30.11)
1000m: Sasha Gollish, Toronto (2:41.45)
1500m: Gabriela Stafford, Toronto (4:16.76)
3000m: Sara Inglis, TWU (9:19.44)
60m Hurdles: Hayley Warren, Toronto (8.12)
4x200m: York (1:39.79)
4x400m: Toronto (3:46.17)
4x800m: Toronto (8:43.15)
High Jump: Emma Nuttall, TWU (1.82)
Long Jump: Claudette Allen, TWU (6.22)
Triple Jump: Caroline Ehrhardt, Western (13.04)
Pole Vault: Robin Bone, Western (4.36)
Shot Put: Brittany Crew, York (16.11)
Weight Throw: Brittany Crew, York (18.69)
Pentathlon: Niki Oudenaarden, Calgary (3981)
 
MEN
60m: Tevaughn Campbell, Regina (6.78)
300m: Gregory MacNeill, Toronto (34.23)
600m: Alex Ullman, Windsor (1:18.42)
1000m: Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, Laval (2:22.97)
1500m: Thomas Riva, Victoria (3:43.94)
3000m: Ross Proudfoot, Guelph (7:58.53)
60m Hurdles: Greg MacNeill, Toronto (7.79)
4x200m: Trinity Western (1:29.06)
4x400m: Toronto (3:16.28)
4x800m: Windsor (7:35.42)
High Jump: Alhaji Mansaray, Manitoba (2.17)
Long Jump: Robbie Gallaugher, Western (7.31)
Triple Jump: Aaron Hernandez, Lethbridge (15.50)
Pole Vault: David McKay, York (5.05)
Shot Put: Eric Brathwaite, York (17.56)
Weight Throw: Eric Brathwaite (19.65)
Pentathlon: James Turner, Toronto (4090)
 
CIS TEAM CHAMPIONS (last 10 years)
 
Women
2013-14 Guelph
2012-13 Calgary
2011-12 Windsor
2010-11 Windsor
2009-10 Windsor
2008-09 Windsor
2007-08 Guelph
2006-07 Calgary
2005-06 Windsor
2004-05 Saskatchewan
Complete list: PAST CIS CHAMPIONS
 
Men
2013-14 York
2012-13 Guelph
2011-12 Western
2010-11 Windsor
2009-10 Guelph
2008-09 Windsor
2007-08 Guelph
2006-07 Sherbrooke
2005-06 Windsor
2004-05 Saskatchewan
Complete list: PAST CIS CHAMPIONS
 
CIS CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS
 
WOMEN
 
60m: Khamica Bingham, York, 7.26 (2014)
300m: Adrienne Power, Dalhousie, 37.35 (2005)
600m: Camille Cato, York, 1:27.63 (1984)
1000m: Paula Schnurr, McMaster, 2:42.81 (1988)
1500m: Paula Schnurr, McMaster, 4:16.41 (1988)
3000m: Brenda Shackleton, Victoria, 9:04.88 (1988)
60m Hurdles: Sonia Paquette, Sherbrooke, 8.23 (1997)
High Jump: Emma Nuttall, Trinity Western, 1.88 (2014)
Long Jump: Jocelyn Adu-Gyamfi, Toronto, 6.24 (2001)
Triple Jump: Kelly Dinsmore, Windsor, 13.01 (1993)
Pole Vault: Heather Hamilton, York, 4.23 (2010)
Shot Put (4 kg): Taryn Suttie, Saskatchewan, 16.38 (2014)
Weight Throw (9.08 kg): Kate Forbes, Lethbridge, 19.66 (2005)
Pentathlon: Jessica Zelinka, Calgary, 4380 (2007)
4x200m: Toronto, 1:36.53 (2013)
4x400m: Toronto, 3:41.47 (2012)
4x800m: Victoria, 8:41.66 (1988)
 
MEN
 
60m: Sam Effah, Calgary, 6.57 (2010)
300m: Alexandre Marchand, Sherbrooke, 33.40 (1999)
600m: Byron Goodwin, Manitoba, 1:16.10 (1995)
1000m: Tommy Lecours, Guelph, 2:22.09 (2012)
1500m: Allan Klassen, UBC, 3:46.85 (1990)
3000m: Jeff Schiebler, UBC, 7:59.29 (1996)
60m Hurdles: Sekou Kaba, Ottawa, 7.79 (2014)
High Jump: Alex Zaliaskas, Toronto, 2.24 (1993)
Long Jump: Christopher Greenway, Ottawa, 7.88 (2010)
Triple Jump: Olivier Huet, Sherbrooke, 15.81 (2013)
Pole Vault: Doug Wood, York, 5.65 (1992)
Shot Put (7.26 kg): Andrew Smith, Saskatchewan, 18.48 (2011)
Weight Throw (15.88 kg): Jim Steacy, Lethbridge, 24.08 (2009)
Pentathlon: Chris Crossley, Saskatchewan, 4126 (2010)
4x200m: Ottawa, 1:25.65 (2012)
4x400m: Calgary, 3:14.12 (2008)
4x800m: Windsor, 7:27.94 (2014)
 
2015 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (selected events webcast daily at www.CIS-SIC.tv)
 
Thursday, March 12
14:00   Weight Throw (W) Final
15:15   60m Hurdles (W) Pentathlon
15:45   60m Hurdles (M) Pentathlon
16:00   High Jump (W) Pentathlon
16:30   Long Jump (M) Pentathlon
18:00   Shot Put (M) Pentathlon
18:00   60m (W) Heats
18:15   60m (M) Heats
18:30   600m (W) Heats
18:45   600m (M) Heats
19:00   Shot Put (W) Pentathlon
19:00   60m (W) Final
19:10   60m (M) Final
19:20   60m Ambulatory (W) Exhibition Final
19:30   60m Ambulatory (M) Exhibition Final
19:30   High Jump (M) Pentathlon
20:00   Long Jump (W) Pentathlon
20:00   4x200m Relay (W) Heats
20:20   4x200m Relay (M) Heats
21:00   800m (W) Pentathlon
21:15   1000m (M) Pentathlon
 
Friday, March 13
15:00   Weight Throw (M) Final
16:25   Long Jump (W) Final
16:30   High Jump (M) Final
16:30   60m Hurdles (W) Heats
16:45   60m Hurdles (M) Heats
16:50   Pole Vault (W) Final
17:00   1000m (W) Final
17:10   1000m (M) Final
17:30   60m Hurdles (M) Final
17:40   60m Hurdles (W) Final
17:50   300m (W) Heats
18:05   300m (M) Heats
18:25   Long Jump (M) Final
18:30   3000m (W) Final
18:40   Shot Put (W) Final
18:50   3000m (M) Final
19:50   300m (W) Final
20:00   300m (M) Final
20:15   4x800m Relay (W) Final
20:30   4x800m Relay (M) Final
 
Saturday, March 14
12:30   Triple Jump (W) Final
12:35   Shot Put (M) Final
13:00   Pole Vault (M) Final
13:15   600m (W) Final
13:30   600m (M) Final
14:15   4x200m Relay (W) Final
14:25   4x200m Relay (M) Final
14:30   High Jump (W) Final
14:35   Triple Jump (M) Final
14:45   1500m (W) Final
15:00   1500m (M) Final
15:45   4x400m Relay (W) Final
16:00   4x400m Relay (M) Final
 
About Canadian Interuniversity Sport
 
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Every year, over 11,500 student-athletes and 700 coaches from 56 universities and four regional associations vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.cis-sic.ca or follow us on:
 
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For more information:
 
Elisa Mitton
Sports Information Coordinator
University of Windsor
Off: 519-253-3000 ext. 2447
Cell: 519-984-6302
emitton@uwindsor.ca
 
Michel Bélanger        
Manager, Communications & Media Relations
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Off: (613) 562-5670 ext. 25
Cell: (613) 447-6334
belanger@universitysport.ca