STFX captures fifth straight AUS women’s cross country title

(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) The STFX X-Women extended their streak with a fifth consecutive AUS women's cross country title Saturday afternoon at the 2025 Bell AUS Cross Country Championship, hosted by Acadia University at Hennigar's Farm Market.

Led by four top-seven finishers, the X-Women posted a team score of 27 points to capture gold, ahead of the UNB REDS (62) and the Dalhousie Tigers (67), who earned silver and bronze, respectively.

Saint Mary's standout Frances MacLeod was the individual champion, capturing gold in a personal-best time of 28:44 over the eight-kilometre course. The science student from Dartmouth, N.S., earned Boston Pizza AUS Athlete of the Year, AUS Rookie of the Year, and first-team all-star honours following a stellar debut season.

STFX runners filled four of the top seven positions. Caroline Ash placed second in 28:46, Poppy Moon was third in 28:54, Eileen Benoit finished fourth in 28:55, and Caden Lee crossed the line seventh in 29:24.

Memorial's Grace Mack placed fifth in 29:02, while Dalhousie's Molly Pert finished sixth in 29:20 to round out the top seven and complete the AUS first-team all-stars.

For the REDS, Emily Doucet placed ninth in 29:36 and Sierra Rodrigues tenth in 29:40 to lead their team to the silver medal. Dalhousie's balanced lineup, led by Pert's sixth-place finish, featured Mila Souilliere in eighth (29:34), Juliet Pulfrey in 15th (30:08), and Danielle Keefe in 17th (30:28), earning the Tigers team bronze.

AUS First Team All-Stars (Top 7)

1. Frances MacLeod, Saint Mary's – 28:44

2. Caroline Ash, STFX – 28:46

3. Poppy Moon, STFX – 28:54

4. Eileen Benoit, STFX – 28:55

5. Grace Mack, Memorial – 29:02

6. Molly Pert, Dalhousie – 29:20

7. Caden Lee, STFX – 29:24

AUS Second Team All-Stars (8–14)

8. Mila Souilliere, Dalhousie – 29:34

9. Emily Doucet, UNB REDS – 29:36

10. Sierra Rodrigues, UNB REDS – 29:40

11. Feron Wallace, STFX – 29:44

12. Darcie Stapleton, Memorial – 29:48

13. Bridget Jeffery, UNB REDS – 29:56

14. Nikolina Kapovic, UNB REDS – 29:57

AUS All-Rookie Team 

Major Awards

Boston Pizza AUS Athlete of the Year – Frances MacLeod, Saint Mary's Huskies
Saint Mary's Frances MacLeod earned Boston Pizza AUS Athlete of the Year honours after a breakout season capped by an individual gold medal and a personal-best time of 28:44 at the conference championship. The rookie from Dartmouth, N.S., led the field by two seconds to claim both the AUS title and first-team all-star status.

Rookie of the Year – Frances MacLeod, Saint Mary's Huskies
In addition to her athlete of the year recognition, MacLeod was also named AUS Rookie of the Year. The first-year science student made an immediate impact in her debut campaign, delivering consistent top results and establishing herself as one of the conference's brightest young talents.

Student-Athlete Community Service Award – Molly Pert, Dalhousie Tigers
Dalhousie's Molly Pert has been named the AUS Student-Athlete Community Service Award recipient for 2025.

A fourth-year environmental studies student from Ottawa, Ont., Pert balances her commitment to academics and athletics with an extensive record of volunteerism and leadership in the Halifax community.

She serves as events coordinator and community outreach lead for Dalhousie's Environmental Science programs, organizing shoreline cleanups and donation drives for Hope for Wildlife, a local rehabilitation and education centre. A trip leader with the Dalhousie Outdoors Society, she helps make outdoor recreation accessible to all students, and she coordinates volunteer opportunities for fellow student-athletes through the varsity council.

Pert also gives her time to several community programs, including the Ronald McDonald House "Home for Dinner" initiative, a reading buddy program at a local elementary school, and childminding at the YMCA. This fall, she helped organize a shoe and athletic apparel drive for the Halifax Community YMCA and led her team's participation in the Terry Fox Run to raise funds and awareness for cancer research.

Coach of the Year – Eric Gillis, STFX X-Women
STFX head coach Eric Gillis was named AUS Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year after guiding the X-Women to their fifth straight conference title. Under his leadership, STFX placed four runners in the top seven and all five scorers in the top 11 to capture the team banner.

The 2025 U SPORTS Cross Country Championships will be hosted Nov. 8 by Université de Sherbrooke in Sherbrooke, Que.