(FREDERICTON, NB) Chris Belof expects a lot from his incoming recruits to the UNB Varsity Reds women’s track and field team.
“I’m very excited about this year’s class,” says Belof. “The incoming group will have an immediate impact on our program. All of the incoming women will be contending for medals at the conference level and we expect there will be U SPORTS qualifiers from this rookie class.”
Belof, the Varsity Reds head coach, will welcome 25 new athletes to UNB’s Track and Field and Cross Country programs this year. That’s the largest recruiting class in the program’s history.
The Varsity Reds women’s track and field recruiting class includes:
MARIE-PIER CLOUTIER:
The 17-year-old, from Saint John, is a sprints and hurdles specialist who is graduating from Centre Scolaire Samuel-de-Champlain.
She’s been a member of the Saint John Track Club, Team New Brunswick, and New Brunswick’s 2017 Canada Games team.
In 2016, Cloutier won New Brunswick high school titles(NBIAA) in the 100 and 200 metre sprints and the 80 metre hurdles. She also won the 100 metres at the East Coast Games.
In 2017, she won the NBIAA 100-metre hurdles, the junior girls 100-metre hurdles at the East Coast Games, and was part of a team that established a provincial record in the junior girls 4 X 100m relay.
So far in 2018, she’s established a new provincial record in the junior girls 60-metre indoor hurdles and run to a second place finish in the 60-metre hurdles at the Hershey Canadian Indoor Championships.
“A short term goal of mine as a Varsity Red is to be top three in the conference in my individual events and with my future relay teams,” says Cloutier. “In the long run, my goal is to be the top athlete in my events and represent the conference at nationals.”
Cloutier will study Science at UNB.
LEXI SHANNON:
Shannon is a long and triple jumper from Fredericton who will graduate from Leo Hayes High School.
She’s been a member of the Fredericton Legion Track Club, New Brunswick’s 2017 Canada Games team, and New Brunswick’s Legion Youth Nationals team.
In 2015, Shannon earned a silver medal in the triple jump at the Legion Youth Nationals.
In 2016 and 2017, she won NBIAA triple and long jump titles, and earned silver medals in the triple jump at the Hershey Canadian Indoor Championships.
Shannon is the current NBIAA junior triple jump record holder and placed 9th in the triple jump at the 2017 Canada Summer Games.
“I have a lot of experience at high level competitions and have performed well under pressure,” said Shannon. “My short term goal is to be the AUS triple jump champion and qualify for U SPORTS in my first year. Long term, I hope to see UNB winning the AUS championship banner and for me to win a U SPORTS medal.”
Shannon will pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree.
ABIGAIL DAVIDSON:
A 17-year-old, from Beaver Dam, who sprints and jumps, Davidson will graduate from Fredericton High School.
She’s been a member of the Fredericton Legion Track Club, Fredericton High School’s track team, and New Brunswick’s Legion Youth Nationals team.
She competes in the 100 and 200 metre sprints, the 60-metre indoor sprint and the long jump.
“A short term goal of mine is to run a sub 25 second 200 metres,” says Davidson. “Long term, I want to make a podium at the U SPORTS meet.”
Davidson will study Kinesiology at UNB.
ERIN McCAVOUR
A 17-year-old, from Truro, Nova Scotia, she will graduate from the Cobequid Education Centre.
She’s been a member of the Truro Lions Track Club and the Cobequid Education Centre track team, where she was field captain in her final year.
McCavour competes in the long jump, triple jump and high jump.
She is also a national level gymnast and competed at the 2016 Canadian championships, in Edmonton.
“I want to contribute to UNB having a successful track and field team, while continuing to improve my own distances and furthering my education,” said McCavour.
She will study Science and Marine Biology at UNB.
Belof says it’s a strong first four introductions.
“Abigail and Marie-Pier immediately improve our relay program,” he says. “They also add a lot to our sprint program in their individual events. Lexi and Erin strengthen an already strong jumps group and will be looking to qualify for U SPORTS in their first seasons at UNB.”
Belof believes the women’s relay and jump teams are on the verge of becoming the best in the Atlantic conference.
“We expect our women’s jumps and sprints to really be the pillar we build our program around, and this recruiting class will certainly do that in a very big way,” he said.
All four athletes will join the Varsity Reds beginning in the 2018-19 season.