Bisons track and field team performed very well this season in both of the major
competitions of the year, consisting of the U-Sports nationals and the Canada West
conference (CanWest) championships, thereby setting the expectations for the herd this
upcoming 2023-24 season exceptionally high.

U-Sports took notice of the herd as well, for the University of Manitoba has been selected
to host the 2024 U-Sports track and field nationals, which will be played at James Daly
Fieldhouse inside Max Bell Centre.

Some of the highlights for the herd’s track and field teams this year included the men’s
team coming in first at the CanWest championships, Anna McConnell crushing the
competition in shot put at the CanWest championships, Madisson Lawrence’s first place
victory in the pentathlon at the U-Sports nationals, as well as Max Speiser’s fight for third
place in the heptathlon at nationals.

Overall, the Bisons had an amazing season, for which both the varsity staff and athletes
should feel immensely proud. Nevertheless, it was ultimately the University of Guelph
Gryphons who reigned supreme again this year, sweeping the U-Sports banner for the fifth
year in a row. The herd, then, will take up the challenge of thwarting a six-peat on their home
turf.

Nevertheless, at this year’s U-Sports nationals, the men’s 4×400 relay team did manage to
beat the University of Guelph by a time differential of 0.76 seconds, securing the gold medal.
Moreover, the herd’s coaching staff will surely look to carry this season’s momentum into
next year when the herd hosts nationals.

Thanks to the herd’s extensive coaching staff — led by head coach Claude Berube —
they always did their best to help the track and field athletes perform at the highest caliber
possible due to their stupendous coaching.

Head coach Claude Berube will be going into his 27th year of coaching this upcoming
season, and for the U of M track and field team, consistency is certainly key.

Since the Bisons will host the 2024 U-Sport nationals, they can take heart in the fact that
Berube is no stranger to national championships, having won two national championship
titles on the men’s side in 1995 and in 1996.

Going into the 2023-24 sports season, it will be exciting to see what kind of tactics Berube
has in his pocket to help guide the herd to even more podium finishes.

Ultimately, then, with the U of M’s track and field team in such good hands, the team is likely
shaping up for an exceptional year — hopefully culminated by the raising of a U-Sports banner in
their home gym.