The men’s and women’s cross country teams are heading to nationals.

Both teams qualified for the race with top five finishes at the OUA championship in Ottawa on Saturday.

The Queen’s men’s team placed third behind the Guelph Gryphons and the Windsor Lancers. Maxime LeBoeuf led the Gaels with an 11th-place finish.

“We did what we’ve been planning to do all year, which is stomp Mac and Western,” head coach Steve Boyd said. “They’ve been ranked ahead of us all season.”

The McMaster Marauders and the Western Mustangs finished fifth and sixth respectively. Boyd said the Gaels had finished behind those teams in previous races because injuries had prevented the team’s best runners from running together.

The men are ranked sixth in the nation, but Boyd said his goal is for them to make the top three at the CIS championship.

Captain Oliver Hatheway said the men’s team will be a favourite at nationals after their OUA bronze.

“There are going to be a lot of teams in the OUA and out west and east gunning for us,” he said.

The women’s team came fifth behind the Gryphons, the Marauders, the Mustangs and the Lancers. Captain Steph Hulse led the team with a 16th-place finish.

“I was really happy with my race … as a team, we were disappointed,” she said. “Coming fifth was a surprise.”

The women are ranked eighth in Canada, but Boyd said they’ll aim for the top six at nationals.