U SPORTS Top 10 (Feb. 13, 2024): Four Gryphon Teams Featured in the Latest Edition of the National Rankings

TORONTO, Ont. – On Tuesday, February 13, 2024, the U SPORTS office released its latest national rankings for the 2023-24 season. Four University of Guelph varsity teams were ranked, with the Gryphons women’s hockey, men’s volleyball, and track & field teams all featured in the latest edition of the national sport rankings. 

Notes:
* Feb. 13, 2024 = final set of rankings for men’s hockey
* Feb. 20, 2024 = final set of rankings for wrestling, volleyball, basketball, and women’s hockey
* Feb. 27, 2024 = final set of rankings for track & field and swimming
 

Gryphon Teams Ranked Nationally (Feb. 13, 2024)

Gryphons Track & Field – No. 1 & 2

The Gryphons men’s (No. 1) and women’s (No. 2) track & field teams hold their spots in the latest national rankings after another strong weekend at meets on both sides of the border. In Boston, Massachusetts distance runners Cameron Ormond, Julia Agostinelli, and Nicholas Bannon all recorded times which put them among the Top 5 performances in U SPORTS at their respective events. At the Windsor Team Challenge Chloe Zaraska, Marcus Penaloza-Abankwah, Gabriell Cole, and Nicole McKenzie all produced performances which auto-qualified them to compete at the 2024 U SPORTS Track & Field Championships which takes place in a month at the James Daly Fieldhouse at the University of Manitoba. 600m runner Alanzo Ryan also took 1st-place with a time that puts him 6th in all of U SPORTS. The U of G teams will now take part in the U of T Hal Brown Last Chance Meet and the Guelph Last Chance Meet, the final meets on the regular season schedule before the 2024 OUA Championships on February 23 & 24 in Windsor.

Gryphons Women’s Hockey – No. 3

The Gryphons women’s hockey team fell one spot in the U SPORTS Top 10 to No. 3 after suffering their first loss in nearly three months. The Gryphons fell to the Western Mustangs this past Saturday (Feb. 10) on the road, which marked just the second regulation loss of the season and first since October 29, the U of G team’s fifth game of the season. Prior to their loss to the Mustangs the Gryphons defeated the Brock Badgers 3-1 on the road to earn a program-record 22nd win of the regular season. With two games remaining in their 2023-24 regular season schedule, both against the Windsor Lancers (Feb. 16 & 17), the Gryphons will look to close out the regular season by adding to their record-setting season. Also on the line in the final week of the regular season is home-ice advantage through the 2024 McCaw Cup playoffs, the Gryphons need just one point to guarantee a finish above the OUA East-leading Nipissing Lakers in the race for the top seed in the conference. 

Gryphons Men’s Volleyball – No. 10

In the latest edition of the U SPORTS Top 10 men’s volleyball rankings, the Gryphons dropped one spot to No. 10. The move in the rankings comes after the U of G men’s volleyball team suffered back-to-back four-set losses to the No. 5-ranked Queen’s Gaels. With two games remaining in their regular season schedule (Feb. 16 & 17), and both coming against the TMU Bold (5-13) who have already been eliminated from playoff contention, the Gryphons are now playing for the right to a host an OUA quarterfinal playoff game. Also on the line is a spot in the University of Guelph men’s volleyball record books. If the Gryphons can sweep their two games against TMU, they will become the owners of the best regular season record in program history at 15-5. 
 

U SPORTS Men’s Track & Field

Dropped out: Dalhousie (10)
 

U SPORTS Women’s Track & Field

Dropped out: York (10)
 

U SPORTS Women’s Hockey

Dropped out: Waterloo (10)
 

U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball