U SPORTS Top 10 (Jan. 23, 2024): Gryphon Men’s Volleyball Moves Up to No. 8 in Latest National Rankings

TORONTO, Ont. – On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, the U SPORTS office released its latest national rankings for the 2023-24 season. Four University of Guelph varsity teams were ranked, highlighted by the Gryphons men’s volleyball team moving up one spot to No. 8. Also moving up in the rankings was the U of G men’s wrestling team, who jumped one spot to No. 6, while the women’s wrestling team remained as the No. 5-ranked program. For the Gryphons women’s hockey team, their hold their spot as the No. 3 team in the nation. Finally, the U of G track & field teams each dropped one spot to No. 3 (men’s) and No. 4 (women’s). 
 

Gryphon Teams Ranked Nationally (Jan. 23, 2024)

Gryphons Women’s Hockey – No. 3

The Gryphons women’s hockey team holds their position as the No. 3-ranked team in the country, trailing only the undefeated Concordia Stingers and the Mount Royal Cougars, after another week of action that the Gryphons pick up back-to-back wins. The U of G team took down the Western Mustangs 3-2 and 2-1 to improve to 18-1-2 (wins-losses-OTL) on the season and extend their OUA West Division lead to 18 points. The two wins over the Mustangs also extends the Gryphons current win streak to 10 games and their unbeaten streak in regulation to 16 games, with their last, and only, regulation loss coming back in October. This week the Gryphons will take on the Laurier Golden Hawks (11-7-2) at home Wednesday night (Jan. 24) before heading to North Bay Friday (Jan. 26) for a showdown between the OUA East-leading and No. 6-ranked NIpissing Lakers.

Gryphons Track & Field – No. 3 & 4

After opening as the No. 2 and 3-ranked teams in the first edition of the U SPORTS track & field top 10, both the men’s and women’s team dropped one spot to No. 3 & 4 with the Manitoba Bisons jumped the Gryphon men and the Calgary Dinos moving past the U of G women. Despite moving down in the national rankings, the Gryphons had another strong showing this past weekend in Toronto at the U of T Fred Foote Classic. The U of G track & field program saw seven different student-athletes finish first in their respective events, highlighted by a record-setting performance from reigning U SPORTS pole vault champion Jennifer Elizarov who set a new University of Guelph record with a jump of 4.15m. The Gryphons will now prepare to head south of the border this coming weekend (Jan. 25 & 27) to University Park, Pennsylvania for the Penn State National Open. 

Gryphons Wrestling – No. 5 & 6

The U of G wrestling program sees both the men’s and women’s teams ranked among the nation’s best for another week, with the Gryphons women’s team holding their position at No. 5 and the men’s team jumping past the Western Mustangs to No. 6. The latest rankings come after another strong showing for the Gryphons, this time in their home gym for the latest edition of the Guelph Open, one of the most prestigious wrestling events in the country. The U of G performances were highlighted by a pair of wrestlers on the Gryphon men’s team. Second-year student-athlete Tristan Cako captured third-place in the men’s 57kg weight class while Gryphon two-sport athlete Simon Chaves also took third in the men’s 92kg weight class. This week, the Gryphons will head to London for the Western Open before preparing for the 2024 OUA Wrestling Championships on February 10 & 11. 

Gryphons Men’s Volleyball – No. 8

In the latest edition of the U SPORTS men’s volleyball rankings the Guelph Gryphons have moved up one spot, past the Trinity Western Spartans, to No. 8 in the country. The move up the rankings comes after another convincing win for the Gryphons this past Friday at home, a 3-1 victory over the U of T Varsity Blues to sweep the season series. Their latest national ranking marks the highest the Gryphons men’s volleyball program has been appeared since November of the 2019-20 season, when they were also the 8th ranked team in the nation. With their win over the Varsity Blues, the Gryphons now hold a 12-2 record, the best in the OUA through 14 games, and hold a single-game advantage over Brock Badgers and No. 3-ranked McMaster Marauders. This week the Gryphons host the Windsor Lancers (8-4), who had been ranked until the latest edition of the top 10, in back-to-back matches Friday (Jan. 26) and Saturday (Jan. 27) that will prove to be vital games with just six remaining on their regular season schedule. 
 

U SPORTS Women’s Hockey

U SPORTS Men’s Track & Field

Dropped out: Montreal (7), York (10)
 

U SPORTS Women’s Track & Field

Dropped out: Sherbrooke (10)
 

U SPORTS Women’s Wrestling

U SPORTS Men’s Wrestling

U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball

Dropped out: Windsor (10)