Following a fairly successful season that saw both the Martlets win their first RSEQ Championship in six seasons and the Redmen place third in their conference, the McGill Track and Field program will look to build on the foundation it laid last year.

On the Martlet side, the primary challenge will be replacing the talents of team captain and long distance runner Sarah McQuaig as well as those of Alana Battison, a multi-discipline star who left her mark in the record books in the pentathlon. Stepping up to the table will be sophomore jumper Caroline Tanguay, who showed much promise last season.

For the Redmen, multiple athletes have demonstrated the capacity to qualify for Nationals. In the Martlet Open held in the Fall, Max Beaumont-Courteau won gold in the pole vault while Redmen athletes took five other medals in a range of disciplines. Notably, third-year Scott Hancock garnered silver medals in both the 60m sprint and the long jump.

McGill has a very young squad, which could prove to be either problematic due to a lack of experience or an asset to the program’s future if the nearly 30 underclassmen on the roster can reach their potential. Head Coach Dennis Barrett also returns for his 29th season in charge of the McGill Track and Field program. Barrett is noted for his ability to develop middle and long distance runners, and should be expected to have both the Redmen and the Martlets competing at a high level down the stretch.