MARCOLINI, ASSELSTINE, HUMBER WINS OCAA CROSS COUNTRY GOLD

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. - Saturday's OCAA Cross Country Championships hosted by Sault College was a true testament to the sport and the grit of these student-athletes as they not only battled the challenging terrain of northern Ontario but also a relentless rain that never weakened throughout the day. The picturesque course at Crimson Ridge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., proved worthy of the best Ontario college runners with fierce competition and tactical race strategy all day.

The women's five kilometre race saw Cambrian College's Emily Marcolini (Sudbury) lead wire to wire setting the mark as the only woman under the 20-minute mark in the field of 88 runners; winning gold in a time of 19:56. Loyalist College's Ashley Bickle (Stratford) sprinted to the silver medal with a time of 20:57 while Sault's Anna Greve (Sault Ste. Marie) took home bronze finishing at 21:08. The team title was claimed by Humber College as it placed four women in the top 13 finishers, led by Coby Phillips (Brampton) in eighth place. Conestoga College took home silver while George Brown claimed bronze with tiebreaking displacement used to best St. Clair College.

The men's eight kilometre course saw a group of three break away from the pack early and drive the pace of the race; with St. Lawrence College's (Kingston) Rob Asselstine (Sydenham), Fanshawe College's Seth Marcaccio (London) and Fleming College's Riley Olesky (Oshawa) leading the 10-man field. All three runners were dead even throughout the race but in the final 200 meters Asselstine sprinted to the gold medal crossing the line in 26:41, a mere second ahead of Marcaccio who finished at 26:42 for silver while Olesky took bronze in 26:52; a great race by all three that excited the rain soaked crowd. The men's team title provided a sweep for Humber College as it secured gold while Fanshawe College claimed silver and Centennial College finished with bronze.

The championship banquet was a celebration of the accomplishments of all the competitors and recognized both the medalists and all-Ontario teams for 2015.

2015 OCAA CROSS COUNTRY AWARDS

Women's All-Ontario First-Team
Emily Marcolini, Cambrian
Ashley Bickle, Loyalist
Anna Greve, Sault
Natalie Omahen, St. Clair
Sharlane MacLeod, George Brown
Brianna Dolderman, Conestoga
Karlie Dolderman, Conestoga

Women's All-Ontario Second-Team
Coby Phillips, Humber
Katherine White, Humber
Liane Ouellet, Fleming
Ivon Jaimes, Humber
Morgan Hendriks, Fanshawe
Hannah Carley, Humber
Ashley Bracci, St. Clair

Men's All-Ontario First-Team
Rob Asselstine, St. Lawrence-Kingston
Seth Marcaccio, Fanshawe
Riley Olesky, Fleming
Ryan Foott, Fanshawe
Luke Groulx, Sault
Luke Deighan, Humber
Matt Farquharson, St. Lawrence-Kingston

Men's All-Ontario Second-Team
Adam Cole Czuchicki, Mohawk
Sam Kirwin, Humber
Gabriel Torres, Centennial
Andy Hein, Niagara
Simon Wells, Humber
Chris Caddey, Mohawk
Kale Heino, U of T Mississauga
                                                                  
OCAA Rookie of the Year
Women: Hannah Carley, Humber
Men: Luke Groulx, Sault

OCAA Coach of the Year
Teresa Armini, Humber

OCAA Medal Winners
Women's Team Results
Gold: Humber
Silver: Conestoga
Bronze: George Brown

Women's Individual Results
Gold: Emily Marcolini, Cambrian
Silver: Ashley Bickle, Loyalist
Bronze: Anna Greve, Sault

Men's Team Results
Gold: Humber
Silver: Fanshawe
Bronze: Centennial

Men's Individual Results
Gold: Rob Asselstine, St. Lawrence-Kingston
Silver: Seth Marcaccio, Fanshawe
Bronze: Riley Olesky, Fleming

Up next for Ontario's best is the CCAA National Championships in Brockville, Ont., on Nov. 14 hosted by St. Lawrence College Brockville; good luck to all qualifiers.

Sault College would like to thank Crimson Ridge and the hundreds of volunteers without who today's OCAA Championships would not be possible.

Complete race results available at www.chiptimeresults.com.

Source: Sault College