Trojans confident heading into ACAC Championships

October 12, 2019

CAMROSE, ALTA., (Oct. 12, 2019) — A shot at making history now awaits the SAIT Trojans men's cross-country running team.

 

The men will look to win their fourth consecutive Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) title on Oct. 26 when they host the Conference Championships at Confederation Park. If so, it would make them the first men's team in ACAC history to achieve the feat.

 

"We are definitely confident going into the championships," said Trojans co-head coach, Bre MacEachern. "We have a really deep team, which is awesome. Our top six guys are all right there, which is great because if someone doesn't have a great race, there's someone else right there to pick him up. We'll rely on everyone to step up and do well."

 

Mount Royal University's men's team achieved a three-peat from 1988-90, and the University of Alberta-Augustana won three straight from 1973-75 when the school was known as Camrose Lutheran College.

 

Red Deer College's women's team hold the ACAC's all-time record with five straight titles (1975-79).

 

SAIT will have a good feeling going into the championships, as they finished first in their final Grand Prix of the season on Saturday in Camrose, Alta.

 

Leading the Trojans on Saturday was Jacques Saayman (4th year, Fort McMurray, Alta., Bachelor of Business Administration), who placed third in the men's 8-kilometre race in a time of 27:46.

 

"Jacques started a little further back at the beginning of the year, and he's been improving all season," MacEachern added. "He laid it all out there today, and ran a really gutsy race."

 

Brant Lauweryssen (3rd year, Calgary, Business Administration) finished in fifth place (28:36), Daryl Ross finished ninth (29:03) and Jakob Vollmerhaus placed 13th (30:08) to round out the Trojans runners who counted in the team standings.

 

In the women's 6km race, Ann Danard (3rd year, Thunder Bay, Ont., Civil Engineering Technology) was the only SAIT runner to compete. She finished seventh in a time of 25:40.

 

"Ann's had a really good year, and has steadily improved with each race," MacEachern stated. "She's put in a lot of miles, and we're hoping she continues to improve and qualify for nationals."

 

At the championships, Danard will be joined by teammate Emilie Mann (3rd year, Fernie, BC, Respiratory Therapy. Mann placed second at last year's Championships, and finished second in the only Grand Prix event she has run in this season.