VICTORIA, B.C. – The University of Victoria Vikes men's cross-country team won their fifth CIS banner today, Nov. 14, at the CIS Cross-Country Championship hosted at the Aboretum in Guelph, Ont. This is the first national banner for the Vikes men since they won four-straight from 1994-97. The Vikes also took home the conference banner as Canada West champions for the fourth-straight and 16^th overall time.
 
CIS TEAM  |  CIS INDIV  |  CW TEAM
 
The Vikes were led by CIS First Team All-Canadians Olivier Collin and Ryan Cassidy who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the country. Collin crossed in 30:27.7, while Cassidy's time was 30:30.3. The Vikes pair paced team mates Forrest Simpson (30:45.7) and Shoayb Bascal (31:02.2) to CIS eighth and 10^th place finishes, respectively.  Helping out the pack was Ben Weir with a 42^nd place finish and Cody Therrien with a 54^th place finish.
 
"It was an unbelievable day exactly how we hoped it would go," said an elated Vikes head coach Brent Fougner, who named CIS and Canada West Coach of the Year. "They raced right up to the plan that we had going in."
 
"We persevered through some injuries these last few weeks but the guys stepped up and we dominated the front of the pack which we needed to do. Cody and Ben also did exactly what they were supposed to do and moved up to be racing with everyone else's fourth runners."
 
Despite take top team honours in the country, Guelph's Aaron Henrikx won the individual title in a time of 30:18.1. Lakehead's Kevin Tree and Windsor's Paul Janikowski  rounded out the CIS podium.
 
"It was so awesome to take down the giants on their home course," added Fougner about downing the Gryphons and denying them what would have been their 10^th-straight title.   
 
In the Canada West standings the Vikes swept the podium and then some as Collin, Cassidy and Simpson took gold, silver and bronze, respectively, while Bascal was fourth. The Vikes finished with 22 points in the conference standings ahead of Trinity Western (57) and Calgary (76).
 
Cassidy was also named the male Canada West and CIS Student-Athlete Community Service Award winner. Cassidy, a fifth-year Kinesiology student, began volunteering at MOVE Adapted Fitness and Rehabilitation Society in March 2015. MOVE is a gym for people with disabilities located in downtown Victoria. Cassidy volunteers there consistently every other weekend, also filling in as much as he can when others can't make it. Most gym members are restricted to a wheelchair, and many have severe spinal cord injuries. Cassidy's job is to help members use the machines, find them exercises that will benefit them based on their condition, or find things they enjoy doing to stay healthy and happy.
 
CIS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
 
1st – Victoria (69 points)
4 – Olivier Collin (30:27.7)
5 – Ryan Cassidy (30:30.3)
8 – Forrest Simpson (30:45.7)
10 – Shoayb Bascal (31:02.2)
42 – Ben Weir (31:49.8)
(54) – Cody Therrien (32:04.5)
(102) – Matthew Noseworthy (33:27.9)
 
CIS First Team All-Canadians: Olivier Collin, Ryan Cassidy
CIS Second Team All-Canadians: Forrest Simpson, Shoayb Bascal
 
CIS Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Ryan Cassidy
CIS Coach of the Year: Brent Fougner
 
CANADA WEST COMPILED RESULTS
 
1^st – Victoria (22 points)
1 – Olivier Collin (30:27.7)
2 – Ryan Cassidy (30:30.3)
3 – Forrest Simpson (30:45.7)
4 – Shoayb Bascal (31:02.2)
12 – Ben Weir (31:49.8)
(16) – Cody Therrien (32:04.5)
(27) – Matthew Noseworthy (33:27.9)
 
Canada West First Team All-Stars: Olivier Collin, Ryan Cassidy, Forrest Simpson, Shoayb Bascal
Canada West Second Team All-Stars:  Ben Weir
 
Canada West Outstanding Athlete of the Year: Olivier Collin
Canada West Coach of the Year: Brent Fougner
Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Ryan Cassidy

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CIS RESULTS (FULL)

MEN'S RESULTS (10 km)
 
Team standings
1. Victoria, 69 points
2. Guelph, 82
3. Laval, 111
4. McMaster, 121
5. Windsor, 123
6. Trinity Western, 191
7. StFX, 196
8. Queen's, 226
9. Calgary, 255
10. McGill, 267
11. Western, 288
12. Lakehead, 291
13. Toronto, 303
14. Manitoba, 305
15. Alberta, 375
16. Dalhousie, 380
17. Sherbrooke, 458
18. Laurier, 488
19. Montreal, 533
20. MacEwan, 649
 
Individual honours
Athlete of the year: Aaron Hendrikx, Guelph
Rookie of the year: Jeremy Briand, McGill
Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Ryan Cassidy, Victoria
Coach of the year: Brent Fougner, Victoria
 
First All-Canadians (top 7 finishers)
1. Aaron Hendrikx, Guelph, 30:18.1
2. Kevin Tree, Lakehead, 30:24.1
3. Paul Janikowski, Windsor, 30:24.4
4. Olivier Collin, Victoria, 30:27.7
5. Ryan Cassidy, Victoria, 30:30.3
6. Erik Widing, Saskatchewan, 30:33.6
7. Matt McNeil, Dalhousie, 30:39.0
 
Second All-Canadians (finishers 8-14)
8. Blair Morgan, McMaster, 30:42.0
9. Forrest Simpson, Victoria, 30:45.7
10. Corey Bellemore, Windsor, 30:55.9
11. Shoayb Bascal, Victoria, 31:02.2
12. Connor Darlington, McMaster, 31:02.4
13. Emmanuel Boisvert, Laval, 31:04.7
14. Tristan Woodfine, Guelph, 31:05.8