Join us in Celebrating the 2023 Women's Team Inductee

(right to left) Abi Tulloch, recipient of the Don Wright Trophy, Kate Vermeulen, team photo of 2002 CIS Track and Field champions, Tanya Krynen, Kellie Goheen

After a disappointing loss at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships the previous year, the Western Mustangs Women’s Track and Field team returned with a vengeance during the 2001-02 season. A whole team effort, which included high profile performances by middle distance runner Kate Vermeulen and shot put and weight throw star Kate Forbes, the women were victorious in capturing the national championship title.

Kate Vermuelen went undefeated in the regular season posting 13 victories in four different events. Her regular season highlights include a 600m win at the York Classic, with a time of 1:32.99. Two weeks later at the Western Open she set a personal best, winning the 1000m in 2:46.11 - a time that still stands as a Western record today.

The 2001-02 season was thrower Kate Forbes’ second year competing and her progression in weight throw was exceptional. In the regular season she improved her previous years’ best by over two metres and set a meet record at the Western Open – the first of three that she would go on to set in a record-breaking year.

With the championship season fast approaching, misfortune struck Kate Vermeulen at practice before the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships when she was involved in a nasty collision with a teammate and sustained a back injury. Despite the injury Kate won OUA gold medals in both the 1000m and 1500m. She also contested the 4 x 800m with teammates Rebecca Radford, Kate Annen and Jen Moskal. Kate ran a blistering 2:07 anchor to chase down the University of Toronto for the victory – a time that still stands as a Western record today.

Kate Forbes also won an OUA gold and set a new OUA meet record of 16.81 metres in weight throw.Western finished third at the OUA championships behind the University of Windsor and University of Toronto, which made winning the national championship “especially sweet,” said head coach Vickie Croley at the time.

Heading into the CIS championships the Mustangs knew they were in a fight for the team title. “Kate Vermuelen’s health certainly was instrumental to the Mustangs chances”, says Vickie. The two-day meet must have been a blur to those watching Kate. She began her campaign with a victory in the 1000m in a battle to the finish with McGill standout Sarah Ali-Khan. Next up was the bronze medal effort in the 4 x 800m with teammates Jen Moskal, Rebecca Radford and Jen Bain.

Day two of the CIS championships began with Kate running a controlled and relaxed race to claim gold in the 600m. Only 90 minutes later Kate again stepped on the track to race the 1500m. She took second, finishing just two one hundredths of a second behind first. Kate was not done, along with Ashley MacNeill, Jen Bain, and Marni Lee, Kate placed sixth in the 4 x 400m. Kate’s strength in all five events helped the women’s team win the title that year. Kate was named the CIS Athlete of the Meet.

Kate Forbes finished her time as a Mustang on a high note winning the CIS gold and setting both the CIS and Western record of 17.44 metres in the weight throw. She also won CIS gold in the shot put.

Speaking with journalist Ryan Dixon following the meet Vickie said, “Kate Forbes was awesome – unbelievable. I have so much confidence in [Kate]…as a competitor…I felt strongly she was going to win and she did.”

Kate Forbes continues to be Western’s all time most successful thrower. Her exceptional season was instrumental in Western winning the CIS track and field championship. She was named the 2001-02 CIS Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Along with high profile performances by the two Kates, Western’s CIS win was a total team effort with each of the 17 women finishing in the top eight. The top six finishers in each event earned points for their team.

“We had athletes representing 14 of 17 events which is a very well-rounded team. The championships were held over two days back then and made for a very busy event with something always being contested. We had amazing school spirit due to having athletes competing the whole time. This only enhanced the atmosphere with each athlete building off of the positive energy,” reflects Vickie.

Coached by Catherine Bond-Mills former Canadian record holder in the heptathlon, the 2001-02 women’s track and field team had three women in the CIS high jump final with two finishing in the top eight. Lindsay Whitehead was fifth with a leap of 1.71 metres, just one centimetre off her personal best, and Jen Payne waseighth.

Coached by Alison Doherty former Mustang FWP Jones Award winner, this team also had three hurdlers make the final with Adrienne Lucia finishing fifth, Ashley MacNeill sixth and Kristin Hodge eighth. Adrienne was fresh off her personal best at the OUA championships where she won the silver medal. Kristin would graduate in 2004 but not before winning OUA gold in both 60m hurdles and the 4 x 200m.

Tanya Krynen the top pole vaulter at the time finished fourth. Tanya went on to set the Western record of 3.70 metres the following year at CIS placing second. In her career Tanya won three OUA silver, one CIS silver, and one CIS bronze.

Abigail Tulloch was co-captain of this team in her graduating year. Throughout her career she won two gold, one silver, and one bronze at OUA, and went on to win one CIS gold. She also had two fourth place finishes as part of the 4x200m team, including at the 2002 championships with Kristin Hodge, Jen Bain and Adrienne Lucia.

Speaking to journalist Ryan Dixon following the 2002 CIS championships Abigail said, “[w]e had a great start on the first day and we knew we were on the right path. We were really composed this year. I think we had a more mature team and that was a big factor.”

Abigail Tulloch, Tanya Krynen, and Kristin Hodge all went on to win track and field’s coveted Don Wright Award in each of their graduating years.

Rounding out the top eight finishes was Kelly Goheen, Melissa Haynes, and Dana Clifford. Kelly’s 5.62 meters in long jump was one centimetre off her personal best set at the York Open earlier that season. She finished sixth at the CIS championships and at the time was sixth on the Western all-time list. Following her 11.71 metre jump at OUA where she placed third, Melissa jumped 11.65 metres to finish sixth at the CIS championships. Competing at her first CIS championship, Dana finished eighth in the pentathlon.

While competing at nationals the Women’s Track and Field team won four gold, one silver and one bronze while setting one CIS record, and two Western records. Western achieved 55 points to help them win their fourth national title in program history, and the first title in 19 years.

In her post-meet interview with Ryan Dixon, Vickie reflected that the team had “an amazing camaraderie. They just really clicked, they get along really well and they wanted to do well not only for themselves but for each other. Losing the championship last season in the final event is tough and they overcame that…This was a reward for the last two years. Now they can simply sit back and enjoy it.”

Following the meet, Vickie was named CIS Coach of the Year for the second straight season.