RDP runners move indoors, Queens look to defend their gold

Red Deer, January 19, 2024 – The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings and Queens Running teams have traded the beautiful outdoor trails for the indoor track as they prepare for the upcoming 2024 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Indoor Track season.

The Queens are the defending ACAC Champions after taking home the banner for the first time in program history. Former student-athlete Jenica Swartz ran away with multiple first-place finishes as well as a couple of silver medals. Swartz is now representing the University Saskatchewan Huskies on the track as well as the trails.

Head Coach Douglas Spicer, who was named the 2023 ACAC Cross-Country Coach of the Year, explained losing a student-athlete like Swartz is tough but believes his team is much deeper this year.

"Jenica will certainly be missed, but I see improvement in Georgia Sawchuk, Emily Barritt and Zoey Longman, along with our more experienced athletes like Myah Cota will help us to maintain our top standing in the conference."

Last season, the Kings finished just off the podium (34 points), trailing third place by only four points. This year the team returns Ben House (Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences), Jordan Coen (Bachelor of Kinesiology) and Ben Highman (Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences). Along with these returnees, the men's team has added Kings Soccer striker Jaeden Swartz (Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences), who is Jenica's brother.

Spicer said Jaeden and the rest of the new additions are going to be key to the success of the Kings Indoor Track team this season.

"Jaeden Swartz is going to make a big difference to the Kings' team depth with his proficiency at distances from 200m and up. As well we look for first-year Fraser Motley to surprise the other ACAC teams with this speed. Our other first-year Dylan Leadley is looking to have a strong indoor season after showing steady improvement during the cross-country season."

On the Queens side, Alissa Berwick (Bachelor of Kinesiology) and Quanalee Brown (Bachelor of Education) are the newest addition to the team. The head coach believes Berwick will be a threat in the 60m race which is a new event to the ACAC Indoor Track season. Alongside Berwick, the Queens were able to return most of last year's championship-winning team which includes Loami Rautenbach (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), Kammy Park (Occupational Therapist Assistant) and, Justine Larson (Bachelor of Education) as well as Sawchuk, Barritt, Longman and Cota.

Putting these pieces together, Spicer believes both the Kings and Queens will be a threat come race day.

"We've been able to recruit and add a couple of sprinters. We have a couple of returnees whose speed lends well to the shorter distances, so overall we feel quite good about the team. The Queens, along with our Kings squad, are a tight-knit team who are collectively working hard to maintain our championship calibre."

The Kings and Queens first Indoor Track meet will be hosted by the Concordia University Thunder on Saturday, January 27 at the Kinsmen Field House in Edmonton. The second Grand Prix will take place on February 10 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre with the championship being held at the Butterdome in Edmonton from March 16-17.