REDS Adding Manitoba Duo
(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS men’s track and field and cross country teams are naming Manitoba distance duo Liam Palmer and Nate Phillips to their recruiting class of 2025.
Both have both signed U SPORTS Letters of Intent and will join the REDS ahead of the 2025-2026 Atlantic University Sport season.
“We’re excited to be welcoming Manitoba’s top two distance runners in Liam and Nate to our program next fall,” said Chris Belof, head coach of the REDS track and field and cross country teams. “Liam comes from strong club and school programs and has been seeing massive improvements and some impressive results over the last few years, while Nate has been grinding out his training on his own and has also been showing up and showing out at local, regional, and national competitions.”
17-year-old Palmer, of West St. Paul, is coming off back-to-back Manitoba High School Athletic Association cross country individual championships as well as being the 2024 MHSAA 1500-metre champion and 3000-metre silver medalist.
Among other highlights, he was the national U18 champion in the 2000-metre steeplechase at the 2024 Canadian Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships, and in 2024 he was named Athletics Manitoba’s Outstanding U18 male athlete.
“What stood out to me most about UNB was the coaching and seeing how well the rookies have been performing,” said Palmer. “Going into engineering, I was also impressed with the Engineering programs and facilities.”
Palmer is looking forward to joining fellow Manitoban Phillips in making an immediate impact on the cross country course by earning all-rookie status.
17-year-old Phillips, of Carman, comes from a multi-sport background, playing hockey, basketball, golf, badminton, track and field and cross country.
He’s the reigning MHSAA champion over 800 and 3000 metres, showing an impressive range of speed and endurance. Phillips also holds the U16 provincial record in the indoor and outdoor 2000-metres in Manitoba, and has been a member of Team Manitoba in 2022, 2023, and 2024 at both the Legion Championships and the Western Canada Team Challenge.
“After visiting campus and touring the city, I realized that this is where I want to be,” said Phillips. “Coming from a small town, Fredericton felt more comfortable because it’s a small city.”
“The team atmosphere was great, and I know that the REDS talented team members and great coaching will challenge and push me to excel.”
Like Palmer, Phillips aspires to be a member of the AUS and U SPORTS championship rosters from the get-go and would like to medal on the national stage.
The pair are in their final year of high school, Palmer at Winnipeg’s Garden City Collegiate and Phillips at Carman Collegiate, and both will be enrolled in Engineering at UNB.
STORY BY: Julia Loparco/for UNB Athletics
PHOTOS: Submitted