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2026–2027 Season · University of Ottawa
uOttawa Gee-Gees
Cross Country and Track & Field, with the Ottawa Lions
Who it’s for
uOttawa student-athletes
Operated in partnership with the Ottawa LionsConference
OUA
With a pathway to the U SPORTS ChampionshipsMembership
Three options
Fall, full academic year, or annualWhere
Two facilities
Terry Fox Athletic Facility and the Dome @ Louis-RielAbout the Program
The uOttawa Gee-Gees track and field team is a member of the OUA. Specific regulations and policies apply to OUA athletes to be eligible for the Championships between September and March.
Training from September to November, and from mid-April to August, runs at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility in Mooney’s Bay Park. From November to April it moves indoors to the Dome @ Louis-Riel. Facility membership fees for both are included in your fees.
Terry Fox hours are flexible through the day, with coaches present in the evenings and on Saturday mornings. Dome training is restricted to designated hours — training there outside those hours is subject to extra fees.
U SPORTS medals
55including 22 national titlesPartnership
18years with the Ottawa LionsMembership & Fees
University of Ottawa / Ottawa Lions varsity competitive membership.
What every membership includes
Coaching and technical leadership from qualified coaches, and access to excellent outdoor and indoor facilities and equipment. All facility training fees are covered during designated training hours.
A uOttawa uniform — singlet, shorts, jacket, pants and backpack. Free entry into all local home competitions, plus team and competitive administration and coordination.
Travel to designated team competitions — ground transportation, accommodation and entry fees — beyond the athlete travel fee assessed for each meet. Some competitions require performance standards.
Annual members also receive
Athletics Canada and Athletics Ontario registration, and an Ottawa Lions uniform.
Varsity academic athletes can keep training from April 1 through August on a spring/summer membership.
Varsity team members who meet the standard
Added athlete support is based on performance standard minimums, rankings, and commitment to the team — training and academics — as determined by the head coach. It can include:
Integrated support team services: medical support, physiotherapy and mental performance. Training access to the uOttawa Varsity High Performance Centre at Montpetit Hall. Full support during regular season away competition travel.
Any athlete selected to the Indoor Track & Field conference or national championship team receives full travel support.
Championship credits
Athletes who compete at the U SPORTS Indoor Track & Field National Championships are awarded a $200 credit. An individual medal earns $500, and being part of a medal-winning relay team earns $100.
Credits can be applied to any future team registration or training camp.
Competitive kit and team package
Alongside the team competitive kit, a team uniform package must be purchased: backpack, team t-shirts, and warm-up jacket and pants — $250. The package must be maintained while you represent uOttawa, and replaced at your cost if damaged or lost.
Individual items: singlet $65, shorts $45, speedsuit $105, jacket $120, pants $65, backpack $90, t-shirt $20.
Payment and refunds
Complete online registration plus the uOttawa admin forms shared by the head coach. Installments can be arranged with the head coach by credit card or post-dated cheque.
Refunds are available within 14 days of registration, less a $50 administration fee.
Varsity Standards
Meeting a standard unlocks the added support above. Standards must be achieved between January 2026 and January 2027, and are based on OUA benchmarks.
| Event | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 60 m | 8.25 | 7.35 |
| 300 m | 43.00 | 36.70 |
| 600 m | 1:39.10 | 1:24.30 |
| 1000 m | 3:03.50 | 2:35.50 |
| 1500 m | 4:50.00 | 4:05.00 |
| 3000 m | 10:15.00 | 8:40.00 |
| 60 m hurdles | 9.20 | 8.70 |
| High jump | 1.56 m | 1.85 m |
| Pole vault | 3.60 m | 4.10 m |
| Long jump | 5.10 m | 6.40 m |
| Triple jump | 11.10 m | 13.70 m |
| Shot put | 10.60 m | 11.30 m |
| Weight throw | 13.00 m | 13.50 m |
| Pentathlon / Heptathlon | 3100 pts | 4400 pts |
These are the 2025–2026 standards. Updated standards will be released alongside the OUA standards.
Before You Can Compete
Every item below has to be finished before the first competition. Miss one and you are ineligible to race.
Eligibility checklist
Academic requirements
Minimum course enrolment and credits earned are mandatory, and returning athletes must meet the academic requirements to compete.
First year: welcome to university.
Second year: 5.0 annual GPA.
Third year and beyond: 6.0 annual GPA.
Keep the head coach and your academic advisors informed of any changes. Where travel and academics conflict, be proactive — do not wait until the week before.
Cross Country Season
First workout: Saturday, September 5 at Mooney’s Bay / Terry Fox, 10:00 am.
Qualification
Top 7 to the OUA
Based on regular season performancesEvening start times shift earlier through the fall as the light goes. The regular season is open to all members. For Nationals, the top 30 individuals and a top-6 team at the OUA Championships are nominated, and returning athletes must meet the academic requirements.
| Meet | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Hoffman Invitational | Sat, September 19 | Canton, NY |
| Capital XC Challenge | Sat, September 26 | Ottawa, ON |
| Vert et Or XC Invitational | Sat, October 10 | Sherbrooke, QC |
| McMaster Invitational | Fri, October 16 | Hamilton, ON |
| OUA Championships | Sat, October 31 | Windsor, ON |
| U SPORTS Championships | Sat, November 14 | Hamilton, ON |
| ACXC — optional, club entry | Sat–Sun, November 28–29 | Québec City, QC |
Track & Field Season
Training runs at Mooney’s Bay, Monday to Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. First session for returning athletes is Tuesday, September 8.
New athletes, September
Be warmed up and ready to go with the head coach by 6:30 pm at Mooney’s Bay, Monday through Thursday, and by 10:00 am on Saturday mornings.
Returning athletes
Connect with your event coach for your start times.
The regular season is open to all members, though some meets require standards. Conference championships have participation requirements, championship standards and roster limits. Nationals require U SPORTS qualification — a standard, first or second place at the OUA, or a national ranking at the close of conference championship weekend. Returning athletes must also meet the academic requirements.
| Meet | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Intersquad — Garnet vs Grey vs Red vs Black | Sat, November 21, 2026 | Ottawa, ON |
| Holiday Relays | Sat, December 5, 2026 | Canton, NY |
| Vert et Or Invite | Sat, January 9, 2027 | Sherbrooke, QC |
| Ottawa Winter Invite | Fri–Sat, January 15–16, 2027 | Ottawa, ON |
| To be confirmed | Fri–Sat, January 22–23, 2027 | — |
| Boston University Terrier Classic & Harvard Invitational | Fri–Sat, January 29–30, 2027 | Boston, MA |
| To be confirmed | Mon–Tue, February 8–9, 2027 | — |
| Ravens Last Chance | Fri–Sat, February 12–13, 2027 | Ottawa, ON |
| OUA Championships | Fri–Sat, February 19–20, 2027 | Toronto, ON |
| U SPORTS Championships | Thu–Sat, March 4–6, 2027 | Winnipeg, MB |
Schedule is tentative and subject to change.
Coaching Staff
| Coach | Event group |
|---|---|
| Sean Burges | Horizontal jumps |
| Craig Burkett | Multi-events |
| Gordon Cave | Sprints |
| Helen Cooper | Distance |
| Leslie Estwick | High jump |
| Richard Johnston | Mid-distance / sprints |
| Yolande Jones-Grande | Sprint hurdles |
| Tim Nedow | Throws |
| Darrin Reesal | Throws |
| Normand Seguin | Mid-distance / long sprints |
| Craig Taylor | Sprint hurdles |
What We Ask of You
Training and attendance
Athletes must be paid members in good standing, and attend at least three practices a week during the season — both for consistency and as proof of fitness.
Home events are mandatory
Make every effort to attend all home events, either competing or volunteering on technical support. Any absence needs pre-approval from the head coach.
Entries, travel and deadlines
Confirm with your coach before submitting away entries to the head coach, well ahead of the entry deadline posted in seasonal updates.
Athletes travelling to designated meets pay the travel fee assessed for that meet before departure, via trackiereg.com, by cash or cheque. A travel cancellation after confirmation makes the athlete responsible for the full trip cost — team travel and accommodation — regardless of whether they attend.
Entry deadlines and all technical and travel deadlines posted by the head coach must be met.
Competing in team uniform
Every athlete entered in a competition is expected to compete, and to wear the current team singlet. An athlete who does not compete in their singlet is responsible for refunding their entry fee to the Ottawa Lions, and all travel fees in full, unless excused by a medical professional or an academic conflict.
Policies and eligibility
Athletes agree to the team (uOttawa) and club (Ottawa Lions) policies and procedures, available at ottawalions.com under the About tab.
All uOttawa criteria must be complete — student portal, medical forms, CCES, U SPORTS portal and any additional orientation. If anything is missed, you are ineligible to compete.
Facilities
September – November
Terry Fox Athletic Facility
2960 Riverside Drive, Ottawa — host of the 2017, 2018, 2025 and 2026 National Championships, and the 2022 and 2023 ACXC Get DirectionsNovember – April
Dome @ Louis-Riel
1659 Bearbrook Road, Ottawa — the only indoor 400m track in Canada Get Directions