(Information about voters: Chris Moulton (Guelph, Ontario), Stephen Gersten (Regina, Saskatchewan), Steve Weiler (London, Ontario), Rich Lehman (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia), Robert Kitz (Halifax, Nova Scotia), John Lofranco (Montreal, Quebec)
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CIS Cross Country Championships -- Saturday November 12, 2011 -- Universite Laval -- Laval, Quebec |
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The University of Guelph swept the TnfNorth CIS Cross Country Preseason Poll coming off a 2010 campaign that saw the men's and women's programs set a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) record for most consecutive national championships won with five and six respectively. While they are by no means guaranteed of anything, it is close to a certainty that the national trophy will stay in Southwestern Ontario with Windsor (men) and McMaster (women) also receiving first place votes following runner-up national finishes last season.
| Men's Preseason Poll | ||
| Team | Votes | 2010 Place |
| 1) Guelph (5) | 59 | 1 |
| 2) Windsor (1) | 55 | 2 |
| 3) Western Ontario | 41 | 3 |
| 4) Victoria | 37 | 4 |
| 5) Queens | 30 | 5 |
| 6) McMaster | 27 | 9 |
| 7) Regina | 26 | 7 |
| 8) Calgary | 18 | 6 |
| 9) Laval | 18 | -- |
| 10) Manitoba | 6 | 8 |
| Also receiving votes: Alberta (5), Sherbrooke (5), Saint Francis Xavier (2), Toronto (1) | ||
MEN'S NOTES: Losing the defending individual champion Kyle Boorsma certainly does not help Guelph's title aspirations, but they have three returning runners (Alex Genest, Allan Brett, Ross Proudfoot) that finished ahead of Windsor's first runner (Matt Walters) last season. Kelly Wiebe is a threat to win the individual crown and in doing so could help Regina crack the top-five. Western will need a return to form of Kyle O'Neill if they are to hold off a Victoria team bolstered by the addition of Ryan Cassidy from the East Coast. Queens will be relying on contributions from Dave Cashin to stay in the top-five as a team and the freshman did not disapoint in his first race of the season.
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| Women's Preseason Poll | ||
| Team | Votes | 2010 Place |
| 1) Guelph (4) | 58 | 1 |
| 2) McMaster (2) | 56 | 2 |
| 3) Victoria | 42 | 4 |
| 4) Calgary | 37 | 3 |
| 5) Western Ontario | 27 | 7 |
| 6) Dalhousie | 25 | 5 |
| 7) Saint Francis Xavier | 24 | 8 |
| 8) McGill | 22 | -- |
| 9) Alberta | 16 | 6 |
| 10) Queens | 8 | 9 |
| Also receiving votes: Laval (7), Toronto (5), Saskatchewan (2) | ||
WOMEN'S NOTES: While Guelph takes a heavy hit with the loss of individual runner-up, Rachel Cliff, and first-team All-Canadian, Courtney Laurie, they have reloaded with the likes of Ciary Kary and Joanna Brown, who competed at the World Junior Triathlon Championships last month. After a year sitting out following her transfer, Lindsay Carson joins the McMaster lineup, which will be important to off-set the graduation of last year's individual champion, Jess Pearo. Calgary looks to be in tough to hold Victoria off the podium with the departure of Madeline MacDonald.