Caroline Ash named to Team Canada for upcoming international cross country event
X-Women runner Caroline Ash has been named to Team Canada for the upcoming FISU World University Cross Country Championships in Italy
U SPORTS names Team Canada roster for 2026 FISU World University Cross Country Championships
TORONTO - U SPORTS has announced its Team Canada roster for the 2026 FISU World University Cross Country Championships, set for March 14–15 in Italy.
The delegation features a mix of national champions, podium finishers and experienced U SPORTS student-athletes who earned selection following strong performances at the 2025 U SPORTS Cross Country Championships in Sherbrooke, Que., in November.
Canada will be represented in men's and women's competition across the 3,000-metre and 10,000-metre events, supported by the coaching staff announced in December that includes head coach Christopher Belof (UNB), Kala Stone (University of Victoria) and athletic therapist Diane Ouimet (STFX University).
"The coaching staff and I believe we have an exceptional group of athletes for Canada's return to the FISU cross-country championships," said Belof. "We expect both the long course and short course teams across both genders to be very competitive. The groups encompass athletes from coast to coast and demonstrates the immense depth of U SPORTS Cross Country. We are very excited about chasing top 8 team performances across all events."
Team Canada's women's team has twice finished on the podium, earning a team bronze medal in Kingston, Ont., in 2010 and once again four years later in Uganda.
WOMEN'S 10 KM TEAM
Madelyn Eybergen (University of Victoria) is slated to anchor the Canadian women's 10 km event, entering as the reigning U SPORTS women's cross country champion (27:10).
Alexandra McDougall (University of Guelph) earned a podium finish with a third-place result (28:06) at the 2025 U SPORTS championship.
Sophie Courville (McGill University) finished fifth overall, earning first-team All-Canadian honours (28:30).
Maria Linton (Western University), who placed 10th overall (28:50) rounds out the team.
WOMEN'S 3 KM TEAM
Julia Agostinelli (University of Toronto) placed fourth overall at the U SPORTS final in Sherbrooke, averaging 3:33/km.
Marisha Thompson (University of Victoria) finished sixth overall and contributed to Victoria's overall team championship (3:35/km)
Caroline Ash (STFX University) recorded an eighth-place finish as part of the X-Women's silver-medal team at the 2025 championship (3:36/km).
Olivia Cooper (University of Alberta) rounds out the 3km team, having placed ninth overall for the Pandas, averaging 3:36/km.
MEN'S 10 KM TEAM
Nolan Turgeon (Université de Sherbrooke) finished fourth overall at the 2025 U SPORTS championship for the host Vert et Or (24:32)
Teammate Félix Quirion (Université de Sherbrooke) joins Turgeon, having completed the 10 km national championship race in 24:37.
Jack Lehto (University of Guelph) was just one second behind Quirion at the U SPORTS finals, finishing sixth in 24:38.
Roman Mironov (Queen's University) earned All-Canadian honours, finishing 8th (24:44) while helping the Gaels to win Gold.
MEN'S 3 KM TEAM
The 2025 U SPORTS individual bronze medalist Jude Wheeler-Dee (Queen's University) averaged 3:03/km over the 10 km course.
Angus Skinner (Queen's University), who finished in 11th place, helped the Queen's Gaels men's team that captured the national championship, join the 3-km with an average split of 3:06/km.
Jared Howse (University of New Brunswick), who finished 10th overall at the U SPORTS championships, is the third member of the 3km team and finished the 2025 championships with a split of 3:06/km.
Jaxon Kuchar (University of Victoria) finished 9th, also with an average 1km time of 3:06.
More details about the championship, including links to broadcasts and results, will be shared closer to the championship. Complete information on U SPORTS International programs is available at usports.ca.
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