Western Mustangs capture track and field national gold, as longtime coach Vicki Croley retires on top

The Western Mustangs won both the Men’s and Women’s USPORTS Track and Field Championship in Windsor, Ont. on March 8, 2025. (Source: Alex Binaei)

For the first time in program history, the Western Mustangs won both the men’s and women’s USPORTS track and field championships.

The double gold performance sent Mustangs head coach Vickie Croley into retirement on top.

Croley, who won both the male and female coach of the year awards, announced her retirement prior to the season.

The Mustangs won the 2025 BioSteel Track and Field Championships in Windsor, Ont. as the men’s team finished 53 points ahead of second place Guelph, while the women beat second place Guelph by 33 points.

For Croley, it marks her second national championship for both teams, as she led the Western men to a national banner in 2012 and the women in 2002.

During the meet, Mustangs long-jumper Kenneth West of Brampton, Ont. tied the USPORTS record with a jump of 7.88 metres. West also won a gold medal in the triple-jump.

Other individual men’s gold medallists for Western were Aaron Thompson in the 300-metre and Immanuel Onyemah in the 60-metre, while the 4x200-metre relay team also won first place.

The Mustang women were led by Favour Okpali, who won the 600 metres, Liv Sands who won the Shot Put and Vivian Ogor won gold in the 60-metre

AJ Stanat of St. Thomas, Ont. also won gold in the Men’s Shot Put for the host Windsor Lancers with a throw of 17.70 metres.