OTTAWA (CIS) – A record total of 191 former Canadian Interuniversity Sport players are listed on Canadian Football League rosters going into the 2014 CFL season, which kicks off Thursday night in Winnipeg.
The number includes 134 players on active rosters, 23 on injured lists, 25 on practice rosters and nine on suspended lists.
The University of Calgary leads all CIS institutions with 18 former Dinos on CFL lineups. Reigning Vanier Cup champion Laval, Saint Mary’s and Western follow with 15 grads apiece, while McMaster (11) and Saskatchewan (10) also hit double digits.
Twenty-six of the 27 CIS football programs will be represented in the CFL this summer, the lone exception being the Carleton Ravens, who returned to the field last fall after a 15-year hiatus.
The list of ex-CIS athletes also includes six players who suited up for Simon Fraser University when the Clan still competed north of the border.
The Calgary Stampeders open the new CFL campaign with 25 former CIS players within their ranks, including 17 on their active roster. Edmonton (23), Montreal (23), Saskatchewan (22), Winnipeg (22), Toronto (20), Hamilton (19), Ottawa (15) and British Columbia (13) follow in order.
The 2014 CIS season gets under way on September 1st and culminates on November 29 with the 50th TELUS Vanier Cup final at Percival-Molson Stadium in Montreal (1 p.m. ET, live on Sportsnet and Radio-Canada).
NOTES: Totals as of 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, June 26… Six athletes played for two CIS teams and are included in both school totals.
FORMER CIS PLAYERS ON 2014 CFL ROSTERS (by school):
18: Calgary
15: Laval, Saint Mary’s, Western
11: McMaster
10: Saskatchewan
9: Bishop’s, Manitoba, Montreal
8: Queen’s
7: Concordia
6: Guelph, Regina, Wilfrid Laurier, Simon Fraser
5: Acadia, Sherbrooke, StFX, Windsor
4: Alberta, UBC, Waterloo
3: McGill, Mount Allison, Ottawa, Toronto, York
NOTE: Six athletes played for two CIS teams and are included in both school totals.
FORMER CIS PLAYERS ON 2014 CFL ROSTERS (by CFL team):
Calgary (25)
Edmonton (23)
Montreal (23)
Saskatchewan (22)
Winnipeg (22)
Toronto (20)
Hamilton (19)
Ottawa (15)
British Columbia (13)
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