The 2024 CTFL draft saw 119 athletes be selected by the league’s four teams in hopes of guiding them to a championship. Established stars and prolific youngsters were snatched up, with some picks panning out, while others weren’t as impactful as predicted. As NWA did ahead of last season’s draft, we’ll be looking ahead at the most exciting prospects of the upcoming draft. Each week, we’ll pull three athletes that will likely be high on team’s draft boards.

These promising athletes aren’t ranked in any particular order, as they all have the potential to impact their teams. Some look to be competitive within their discipline, while others look poised for a sweep of all three marks. 

Shanice Williams, 100m

The women’s 100m was hit hard by the 2024 draft. Two new arrivals – Donna Ntambue and Roxane Tedga – recorded the fastest marks of the season, finishing second and third, respectively. One year later teams will now look to Shanice Williams to shake up the discipline once again. Williams is a former University of Toledo athlete, competing with the school from 2017 to 2019. Before her time in Ohio, she won a Canadian Junior National Championship in the 60m. In 2018, Williams won the Mid-American Conference in the 60m and finished second in the 100m. Now 28, Williams has seen a notable increase in her speed. She’s cut nearly a quarter of a second from her 2018 second-placed finish, with a personal best of 11.57 set in 2024. If competing in the CTFL, that time would’ve been ranked as the second fastest free mark of the season. While Donna Ntambue still looks to run away with the discipline this season, Williams is a valuable asset for any team looking to boost their standing within the discipline, or dominate it.

Best Fit: Arctics, Spitfires

Samuel Hepworth, 1500m

Another competitive addition to a discipline filled with talent, Samuel Hepworth will be sought after as teams will look to stay afloat in the men’s 1500m. The former Dawson College distance athlete is in his second season at McGill. Last season, he – alongside a cross country teammate – was named to the second team of RSEQ all-stars. In the 2024 RSEQ championship meet, Hepworth finished eleventh with a time of 25:31. The 20-year-old has also seen recent success in the 1500m, recording a new personal best of 3:46.97 in June of 2024. Hepworth will be a solid pickup for any team looking to bolster their 1500m team, as he will likely compete with those in the top end of the division.

Best Fit: Spitfires, Arctics

Guilhem Hermet, Long Jump

Fabrice Zongo soared above the long jump last season, but teams will hope Guilhem Hermet can curb some of that dominance. The Université de Montréal alumni is a talented athlete who looks like a promising pick for teams looking to take home points in the field. Hermit was the 2022 U Sports bronze medallist, behind UdeM teammate Clement Mougeolle and Huskies athlete Eric Che. Since his third-place finish, the 26-year-old Frenchman has improved in the event, recording a 7.28m personal best in July of 2024. The impressive mark will put Hermet on team’s radars, as he’ll likely finish in the top three of the division. 

Best Fit: Spitfires, Bears