The top four teams in the OUA Championships are ranked top 10 nationally, creating a high level of competition. The OUA is extremely competitive this year and for the Mustangs to finish third and fourth, it shows the strength of the Western athletes.

After Day 1, Western's women were ranked second with 49.50 points, while Windsor was in first. The men were in third with 30 points with Windsor in first and Guelph in second.

The final team standings for the women are University of Guelph (147 points), Windsor (139.50 points) and Western (124 points).

The final team standings for the men are Windsor (185 points), University of Guelph (115 points), York (105 points) and Western (91 points).

"I don't think we could of done any better overall as a team," said head coach Vickie Croley.

"We finished the competition where we were ranked going into it."

The women's team did extremely well, competing against three of the top teams in the country.

Croley commends the coaching staff and the athletes of the competition.

"One of those things out of the women's control was what other teams did," Croley said.

"I accredit the athletes and the coaching staff pulling off performances when it really counts."

Day 2 for the women was full of solid performances. They won one gold, two silver and four bronze. They finished the meet with two gold, three silver and six bronze.

The 4x400m relay team won the gold with the time of 3:54.13. The team consisted of Lisa Grieve (London, Ont.), Melanie Lui (Scarborough, Ont.), Jen Ricks (Barrie, Ont.) and Jen Cotten (Barrie, Ont). Grieve also ran a personal best in the 300m (40.99).

Ricks and Cotten both picked up a bronze for the Mustangs. Ricks placed third in the 600m with her personal best time of 1:34.17 and Cotten placed third in the 60m hurdles (9.03).

Cotten also won the long jump in Day 1, ran in all three relay races, placed seventh in the high jump, and ran her personal best in the 300m (40.75), contributing over 20 points for the women's team third place finish.

Rookie Mila Simulik (Ottawa, Ont.) and sophomore Alicia Smith (Brampton, Ont.) finished second and third in the triple jump, each posting their season's best jump. Simulik jumped 11.84m and Smith jumped 11.80m.

In the weight throw, Sarah Manson (Toronto, Ont.) placed second with her personal best throw of 16.48m, followed by Cara Marcantonio (Welland, Ont.) who placed third with her personal best throw of 15.42m. This is Marcantonio's first OUA roster appearance and her throw, along with Manson, is a CIS standard.

The men finished the OUA Championships with one silver and three bronze.

The men's team missed top sprinter, Jason Kerr (London, Ont.), who missed the relays due to an injury. Kerr, in past competitions, had the fastest split time for the team. The 4x200m relay team finished third in Day 1 without Kerr, the team still looks strong but the times were significantly affected. Kerr was able to compete in the 60m, placing fourth (6.83).

On day 2, Alex Witmer (Kitchener, Ont.) won silver in the high jump (2.03m).

Windsor's Derek Watkins won the event at 2.15m. Watkins, along with teammate Jamie Adjetey-Nelson, contributed to Windsor's team win by contributing almost 30 points each.

In the 600m, rookie Scott Leitch (London, Ont.) had an incredible race. Leitch fought through veterans to place third with the time of 1:20.35. The time will move Leitch up Western's top 10 list.

Other notable performances are Kyle O'Neil's (Vienna, Ont.) personal best and CIS standard run in the 3000m (8:19.44), and Tumelo Moleko's (London, Ont.) season best in the 60m (8.40) and CIS standard triple jump (14.52m).

The Mustangs had solid OUA Championship performances. The next competition for the Mustangs is the CIS championships. Head coach Vickie Croley said that come CIS Championships, the four women's OUA teams (Windsor, Guelph, Western and Toronto) will be battling for medals again.

The CIS National Championship will be hosted by Windsor, Mar. 12-14, at the St. Denis Centre.