As the U SPORTS Conference Championships kick off tomorrow, we are taking a pause from the high school landscape as university athletes from British Columbia are making waves across the country, representing schools from coast to coast. With the U SPORTS National Championships set for March 6-8 at the University of Windsor's Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse, BC athletes are proving they belong among the nation's best.
Let's take a closer look at just some of the BC athletes ranked in the top 20 nationally and across their respective conferences.
Sprinters and Mid-Distance to Watch
Men's 60m (Auto-Standard = 6.76 | Top Rank = Travis Campbell, GUEL, 6.65)
Speed is the name of the game, and BC sprinters are holding their own against the country's best. Logan Duley (University of Toronto) and Rui Ramsey (Trinity Western) are tied for 8th in U SPORTS with a blistering 6.78-second performance. Ramsey, who has also competed under the Vancouver Thunderbirds, is ranked 3rd in CanWest, while Duley sits 4th in the OUA.
Men's 300m (Auto-Standard = 34.17 | Top Rank = Daniel Earles, TRIN, 33.70 converted)
Trinity Western's Ramsey is again ranked 8th in the country with a converted time of 33.98, placing him 4th in CanWest.
Women's 300m (Auto-Standard = 38.46 | Top Rank = Favour Okapali, WEST, 37.80 converted)
Cayla Smith (University of Alberta) sits 13th in CanWest in the 300m with a converted time of 40.47. Skyler Lubben also of Alberta ranks 18th in CanWest with a converted time of 41.84.
Men's 600m (Auto-Standard = 1:18.80 | Top Rank = Dawson Mann, MANI, 1:16.87)
Tate O'Brien (University of Victoria) is having a stellar season, ranking 3rd in U SPORTS with a time of 1:17.63, putting him in prime position for a podium push.
Women's 600m (Auto-Standard = 1:30.71 | Top Rank = Favour Okapli, WEST, 1:26.94 converted)
Lubben (University of Alberta) continues to showcase her strength in the mid-distance events, ranking 10th in CanWest with a converted time of 1:35.81.
Men's 1000m (Auto-Standard = 2:22.97 | Top Rank = Aidan Goslett, DALH, 2:20.79 converted)
O'Brien's dominance extends beyond the 600m - he also ranks 4th in the nation in the 1000m with a converted time of 2:21.59, once again sitting 2nd in CanWest. His teammate Jack Boden ranks 10th nationally with 2:23.43 (converted) and 4th in CanWest.
Women's 1000m (Auto-Standard = 2:43.13 | Top Rank = Hallee Knelsen, WEST, 2:43.13)
Delaney Chan (University of Victoria) is ranked 16th in U SPORTS with a time of 2:49.39 (converted), placing 6th in CanWest.
Men's 1500m (Auto-Standard = 3:44.85 | Top Rank = Max Davies, GUEL, 3:39.38 converted)
Boden continues his strong campaign in the 1500m, holding the 9th-fastest time in U SPORTS at 3:46.01 (converted) and sitting 2nd in CanWest.
Men's 3000m (Auto-Standard = 8:03.94 | Top Rank = Alec Purnell, MCMA, 7:54.72)
Victoria's Daniel Damian ranks 10th nationally in the 3000m, running 8:08.99, making him the 2nd fastest in CanWest. Yemane Mulugeta (Trinity Western) sits at 18th in the nation with 8:15.58, ranking 3rd in CanWest.