Though it’s nonetheless December, we’re already counting down the times to the 2025 U Sports activities indoor observe season will get into gear in January 2025. The highest collegiate athletes throughout Canada have promised an exhilarating season forward, with numerous private bests, faculty information and auto-qualifying performances. Listed below are 5 rising stars and athletes to observe for the 2025 U Sports activities indoor observe season.
Max Davies (Guelph Gryphons)
When the cross-country season got here to an in depth, College of Guelph’s Max Davies obtained an early begin to the 2025 indoor season at Boston College. The 21-year-old clocked 3:58.68 within the mile to efficiently safe his spot at U Sports activities 2025 to defend his nationwide 1,500m title. This was the second time he’s dipped beneath the four-minute barrier and damaged Guelph’s faculty file. The time converts to three:40.74 within the 1,500m and settles him as the person to beat within the males’s 1,500m this U Sports activities season.
Final season, Davies flew to 2 U Sports activities championship information on back-to-back days, working 2:21.00 over 1,000m and three:44.00 within the 1,500m.
Favour Okpali (Western Mustangs)
Like Davies, the reigning U Sports activities 600m champion and 300m bronze medallist Favour Okpali wasted no time asserting her dominance this observe season; by mid-November, the Toronto native had secured her ticket to U Sports activities within the 600m. At Western’s Purple and White Intrasquad meet, the Toronto native clocked 1:29.82 (1:28.74*) to interrupt a 41-year-old facility file. Her 39.31 (38.76*) 300m run from the identical meet fell simply in need of a second auto-qualifying commonplace. Okpali already holds Western’s 300m and 600m program information, each set on the 2024 U Sports activities Championships.
*Signifies the transformed time based mostly on outsized/undersized observe
Avery Pearson (Saskatchewan Huskies)
21-year-old Avery Pearson of Meadow Lake, Sask., made a press release on the 2024 U Sports activities championships in Manitoba final March; the Saskatchewan Huskie decisively claimed the person 1,000m title earlier than main her faculty’s 4x400m and 4x800m groups to the highest of the rostrum, anchoring each. Alongside three gold medals, she additionally received silver within the 600m.
Pearson’s 600m private better of 1:28.83 comes from the 2023 U Sports activities championships on her dwelling turf, the place she additionally completed as runner-up. We will count on a giant 12 months from the fourth-year kinesiology scholar who returns from an outside season filled with spectacular performances, together with an 800m greatest of two:03.22.
Dawson Mann (Manitoba Bisons)
After simply arising in need of the rostrum in 2023, Manitoba’s Dawson Mann snagged the bronze medal final season–the 23-year-old has already confirmed he’s on observe for even higher achievements this 12 months. On Dec. 13, on the Athletics Manitoba Final Likelihood Meet, Mann ran a brand new 600m private better of 1:17.97. His efficiency lands him on the prime of the nationwide leaderboard, and makes him certainly one of solely two athletes within the occasion who’ve punched their tickets to the 2025 U Sports activities Championships.
Sienna MacDonald (Calgary Dinos)
U Sports activities 2024 triple-gold medallist and multi-event athlete Sienna MacDonald will pose a major risk to all collegiate observe and area athletes this 12 months. Final season, MacDonald received the pentathlon (5 occasions)—undoubtedly one of the vital demanding occasions within the sport—and nonetheless got here out on prime within the 60m hurdles and lengthy bounce. Her private greatest within the 60m hurdles (8.11) was the quickest time in U Sports activities by greater than a tenth of a second.
MacDonald’s dominance on the 2024 championships units the bar excessive for the upcoming season. Will she purpose for quadruple gold this 12 months?
Athletes will return to competitors as early as Jan. 4. The U Sports activities Championships will happen in Windsor, Ont. on March 6 to eight.
