The Marauders will see one more new face hit the track next season, as cross-country and middle-distance Head Coach Paula Schnurr completes her recruiting class with the addition of Thomas Witkowicz.
 
"We're really excited to have Thomas join the team along with Kansas [McKay]", said Schnurr.
 
Joining McKay as the second transfer south of the border, Witkowicz joins the Marauders after spending the past year and a half with the Syracuse Orange.
 
"We look forward to having Kansas and Thomas wearing the Marauder singlet in both cross country, and track," Schnurr continued. "They've been training hard in preparation for their fresh start at McMaster."
 
A Whitby, Ont. native, the newest recruit found the sport of running through the Durham Dragons as early as grade seven. At the time he was a soccer player, but it soon became apparent his real talented was in his running, leading to a natural transition to cross country the very next year.
 
Spending his high school years at All Saints Catholic Secondary, Witkowicz is arguably one of the most successful high school runners in OFSAA cross country history.
 
Capturing gold in his grade 9 year, he went on to repeat as the overall individual winner in both his grade 10 and grade 12 years. The success almost effortlessly transferred to the track, it seemed, coming away with gold in grade 9 in the 1500m, along with an OFSAA record setting performance in the 3000m that year, running 8:47.94 – a time that continues to stand today.
 
In his sophomore year on the track, Witkowicz defended his gold in the 3000m but was edged out in the 1500m, picking up silver, and followed up with a bronze medal performance in the 3000m as a first-year senior in his grade 11 season.
 
Witkowicz went on to compete with the national team that summer for the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas, racing in the 3000m, and was also named to the Pan-Am Junior cross-country team later that fall – and event he had to withdraw from.
 
Injuries plagued him heading into the track season of his final high school year, but the prospect to go south and compete with one of the NCAA's most competitive programs was on the horizon.
 
"I was looking for a team atmosphere, and for competitive like-minded people," Witkowicz explained.
 
But he struggled to find the atmosphere and situation to help him thrive at Syracuse. Injuries continued to plague the highly coveted recruit, and after a year filled with afflictions, Witkowicz decided to test the waters with the only other institution he ever truly considered, McMaster.
 
With the growing pandemic leading to an early departure from campus, the wheels were well in motion for the Whitby natives transfer.
 
"It was time to go home," said Witkowicz.
 
Returning home in March, Witkowicz was in constant communication with Head Coach Schnurr, and after his acceptance, he was worried about losing transfer credits towards his new program. Relying heavily on Athlete Services Coordinator, Claire Arsenault, Witkowicz found himself in the best-case scenario – his desired training program, major of study, and with all the possible transfer credits.
 
"The last few months have been really great, and I'm excited to get to McMaster," said Witkowicz. "It really worked out and I also got into the Commerce program."
 
Driving the positive energy forward, Witkowicz has shifted his focus to training and getting ahead of his past injuries, putting a halt to it for good with a stronger foundation.
 
"I'm currently running four times a week," he continued, "and cross train every day. I'm taking it really slow after rushing the last two seasons."
 
With no competitive season in the fall, Witkowicz has all the time he needs to find his form and get back to the success that's all too familiar for him. With a double-major in finance as part of his goals in the near future, Witkowicz hopes to attain his CPA and work in the finance industry – but the rest is still undecided.
 
"After that, I have no idea," Witkowicz explained. "I'm sure I'll know going forward, definitely something in the industry of accounting."