University of Saskatchewan Athletics

The 1968-69 men’s cross country team won Huskie Athletics first-ever national championship. The group of distance runners translated indoors and helped the men’s track & field team to back-to-back national titles in 1969-70 and 1970-71.

A one-two finish from Jerry Filson and Merv Krivoshien in the pole vault won the Huskies the first-ever CIAU Indoor track & field championship at Winnipeg in 1970. The Huskie men scored in 12 of the 14 events to produce 50 points. Although Filson was the Huskies’ only individual winner, top three finishes were earned in six events.

Just one year later, with the core of the team still intact, the Huskies successfully defended their national title in Winnipeg. Down by four points going into the final event - the mile relay - the Huskies team of Gordon Waldner, Garth Hilderman, Lorne Tarasoff and Murray Woodbury finished first to give the Huskies a 95-90 win over Manitoba. The Huskies won three gold and six silver medals at the championship.