Fall is in the air, and that means one thing: it’s time for our annual pre-season U Sports cross-country power rankings.

Here’s how the rankings work: if a team is winning, they will climb the rankings. If a team is losing, they slide. We will update the rankings every three weeks during the season in the ramp-up to the 2023 U Sports Championships on Nov. 11, from London, Ont.

We are eight weeks away from the 2023 U Sports Championship, so here are the rankings of the top 10 women’s teams in the country, in addition to a couple of athletes to watch for this season in their respective conferences.

10. Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA)

9. UBC Okanagan Heat (CanWest)

8. Victoria Vikes (CanWest)

7. St. Francis Xavier X-Women (AUS)

6. Queen’s Gaels (OUA)

5. McMaster Marauders (OUA)

4. Laval University (RSEQ)

3. Guelph Gryphons (OUA)

2. Western University (OUA)

1. UBC Thunderbirds (CanWest)

The top-ranked UBC Thunderbirds are locked and loaded after a second-place finish at nationals last year behind Laval Rouge-et-Or, who won their second consecutive U Sports women’s championship in Halifax. Laval has lost two of their top-four runners heading into the season, with 2021 U Sports champion Jessy Lacourse and Florence Caron graduating—two spots that will indeed be difficult to replace. The Thunderbirds have most of their team returning from 2022 (aside from the reigning U Sports champion Glynis Sim). The UBC Thunderbirds have a better top six than any other program in the country right now, and they will be out to prove that as they take on #2 Western Mustangs and #3 Guelph Gryphons on Sept. 23 at the Western Invitational.

Individual title contenders

Jade Berube (Laval Rouge-et-Or)
Anna Carruthers (Western Mustangs)
Sophie Coutts (Western Mustangs)
Cameron Ormond (Guelph Gryphons)
Marley Beckett (UBC Thunderbirds)
Catherine Beauchemin (Laval Rouge-et-Or)
Murielle Aglot (Montreal Carabins)
Hannah Goodjohn (McMaster Marauders)