HALIFAX – The University of Manitoba Bisons were represented by seven athletes at the U SPORTS Cross Country Championships on Saturday, highlighted by a 14th-place finish from the men's team and a pair of individual competitors in the women's 8 km race.

Manitoba's men's squad placed 14th nationally with 410 points in a field that featured the top programs from across the country. The Bisons were led by Carson Kroeker, who finished 52nd in a time of 25:13.2, while Luc Fillion followed one spot behind in 53rd at 25:15.0.

The pair entered the championship after earning Canada West Second Team All-Star honours with 11th- and eighth-place finishes, respectively, at the conference championships two weeks earlier.

Jonah Leppelmann added an 88th-place result in 25:42.4, followed by Luxton Dueck in 99th at 25:52.6. Draycen Ralph rounded out Manitoba's scoring contingent, placing 159th in 27:26.9.

McMaster Marauders captured the men's team title with 52 points, ahead of Sherbrooke Vert et Or (91) and the Guelph Gryphons (125). Xavier Lemaître of Sherbrooke claimed the individual national championship in 23:49.3.

On the women's side, Lena Klassen and Sadie Maciura represented Manitoba as individual entrants in the 8 km race.

Klassen paced the Bisons with an 81st-place finish in 30:02.2 after placing 24th at the Canada West Championships. Maciura crossed the line 110th nationally in 30:50.9 after recording a 32nd-place finish at the conference meet.

The Victoria Vikes won the women's team championship with 78 points, while the McMaster Marauders (122) and UBC Thunderbirds (123) completed the podium. Victoria's Madelyn Eybergen secured the individual national title in 26:05.4, finishing ahead of Caroline Ash of STFX and Morgane Drouin of Laval.

The national championship meet concluded the 2026 cross country season for Manitoba, which sent a full men's team to nationals and had two women represent the Herd as individuals.