VICTORIA – Following a historic year for the University of Victoria cross country teams,
Madelyn Eybergen,
Marisha Thompson and
Jaxon Kuchar have been named to the U SPORTS roster for the 2026 FISU World Cross Country Championship, set for March 14–15 in Cassino, Italy. Canada will field men's and women's teams in the 3,000-metre and 10,000-metre events, supported by a national coaching staff that includes Vikes assistant coach Kala Stone.
This will mark the first international competition for Eybergen, who is on a tear after finishing second at the Canada West Championship before capturing U SPORTS gold, earning U SPORTS Athlete of the Year honours and leading the Vikes women's team to its first national title since 2001. Her rise has been nothing short of remarkable, considering she only took up competitive running two years ago—an unexpected pivot from high jump that has quickly made her one of the most intriguing athletes in the country.
Eybergen arrived at UVic this season already accomplished, having claimed the 2024-25 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) cross country title and a U SPORTS bronze medal, along with national gold in the 3000-metre and silver in the 1500-metre on the track. After capturing the Harriers Pioneer 8K in her road-racing debut last weekend, she will now represent Canada in the 10-kilometre— an opportunity she hopes is the first of many.
"I have big running goals and competing in FISU would represent a major step forward in my athletic career," says Eybergen.
The invite marks Thompson's second FISU appearance, following her selection to the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, where she competed in the 3000-metre steeplechase. Thompson finished sixth at the 2025 U SPORTS Cross Country Championship to earn First-Team All-Canadian honours and will represent Canada on the women's three-kilometre team, providing another valuable opportunity for her to gain experience at the highest level.
After missing most of the 2024–25 season with injury, Kuchar returned as if he'd never left. The third-year Vike surged back into form, capturing the Canada West Cross Country Championship individual title with ease and earning conference Athlete of the Year honours. He continued his strong season with another victory at the Harriers Pioneer 8K, winning by a commanding 36-second margin.
Kuchar will compete on the men's three-kilometre team in Cassino, marking his second time representing Canada. He previously donned the national colours in the U20 men's race at the
2023 World Cross-Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia.
Stone, an assistant coach with the Vikes since the 2021-22 season and a specialist in the 800-metre and 1500-metre at the University of Arizona, will make her international coaching debut as one of three coaches selected to lead the national team.
"The coaching staff and I believe we have an exceptional group of athletes for Canada's return to the FISU cross-country championships," said Belof in a U SPORTS release. "We expect both the long course and short course teams across both genders to be very competitive. The groups encompass athletes from coast to coast and demonstrates the immense depth of U SPORTS Cross Country. We are very excited about chasing top eight team performances across all events."
Team Canada's women's team has twice finished on the podium, earning a team bronze medal in Kingston, Ont., in 2010 and once again four years later in Uganda.
WOMEN'S 10 KM TEAM
Madelyn Eybergen (University of Victoria) is slated to anchor the Canadian women's 10 km event, entering as the reigning U SPORTS women's cross country champion (27:10).
Alexandra McDougall (University of Guelph) earned a podium finish with a third-place result (28:06) at the 2025 U SPORTS championship.
Sophie Courville (McGill University) finished fifth overall, earning first-team All-Canadian honours (28:30).
Maria Linton (Western University), who placed 10th overall (28:50) rounds out the team.
WOMEN'S 3 KM TEAM
Julia Agostinelli (University of Toronto) placed fourth overall at the U SPORTS final in Sherbrooke, averaging 3:33/km.
Marisha Thompson (University of Victoria) finished sixth overall and contributed to Victoria's overall team championship (3:35/km)
Caroline Ash (STFX University) recorded an eighth-place finish as part of the X-Women's silver-medal team at the 2025 championship (3:36/km).
Olivia Cooper (University of Alberta) rounds out the 3km team, having placed ninth overall for the Pandas, averaging 3:36/km.
MEN'S 3 KM TEAM
The 2025 U SPORTS individual bronze medalist Jude Wheeler-Dee (Queen's University) averaged 3:03/km over the 10 km course.
Angus Skinner (Queen's University), who finished in 11th place, helped the Queen's Gaels men's team that captured the national championship, join the 3-km with an average split of 3:06/km.
Jared Howse (University of New Brunswick), who finished 10th overall at the U SPORTS championships, is the third member of the 3km team and finished the 2025 championships with a split of 3:06/km.
Jaxon Kuchar (University of Victoria) finished 9th, also with an average 1km time of 3:06.
