CREDIT: FANSHAWE ATHLETICS
(From left to right) Brent Smalley, Dion Killens, Patrick Smith, Sandy Freeland, Lucas Reid, Luke Groulx, and head coach Ashley VanderVecht celebrate their victory as the Provincial Champions.

When they say you’re on top of something, you’re going to have to continue the great expectations and be able to stay at the top. You see it all the time when a team wins a world championship, as they celebrate all their hard work and continue to improve.

The Fanshawe Falcons’ men’s cross country team is one of those teams right now. On Oct. 15, the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) released their cross country rankings, showing that the Falcons are the top men’s team in the nation.

On Oct. 5, the team hosted an invitational at the Fanshawe Conservation Area. Fanshawe impressed, with two top five finishes by Sandy Freeland (massage therapy) and Patrick Smith (massage therapy), who placed second and fourth respectively. When you’re known as the top team in the country, that’s got to feel good.


The coaches are pushing the athletes to juggle intense training with their studies. The athletes are now realizing what a top team in the country must do, so now it’s all about maintaining the top place in the country.

On Oct. 26’s Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Cross Country Championship at Malden Park in Windsor, Fanshawe took the Provincial gold, completely dominating everyone in the team standings.

Three top tens were there for Fanshawe with Freeland with a second- place finish, followed by Smith with a fourth, and Dion Killens (fitness and health promotion) with a 10th-place finish.

As the season is coming to an end, the Falcons’ men’s cross country team is great, and if you know them, or happen to walk past them in the hallways, celebrate or tell them congratulations on a great season.

On Nov. 10, Fanshawe will complete in the CCAA Cross Country National Championships hosted by Grande Prairie Regional College in Grand Prairie, Alta.