Nov. 6, 2014 (HALIFAX, N.S.) – Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2014 football major award winners as selected by the conference’s four head coaches following regular season play.
First-place Mount Allison (8-0) had four Mounties earn major awards. Two student-athletes from the Acadia Axemen (3-5, 0-1 playoffs) earned major awards, including inside receiver Brian Jones who was named outstanding player of the year. One student-athlete from the Saint Maryβs Huskies (0-8) was named to the list of AUS major award winners.
OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Brian Jones, Acadia (Chris Flynn Trophy)
Inside receiver Brian Jones of the third-place Acadia Axemen has been selected as the Atlantic University Sport outstanding player of the year.
A third-year science student from Enfield, N.S., Jones led the Atlantic conference in receiving this season with a school record 57 receptions for 639 total yards and three touchdowns.
He averaged 7.1 receptions per game and 79.9 receiving yards per game.
His 57 receptions in the regular season rank him second all-time in the AUS record book, behind only former Mount Allison standout Gary Ross who caught 60 in a season in 2009.
Jones was also named to the 2014 AUS offensive all-star team yesterday.
βBrian Jones has improved every aspect of his game and still has a lot more room for growth, which is scary,β said Axemen head coach Jeff Cummins. βHe is a very good receiver and at 6-foot-4, can get over the top of most defenders, but his most impressive quality is his ability to block. Many times this year, defenders have found out first hand that, given a chance, Brian will pancake DBs, LBs and defensive ends, which doesnβt (typically) happen from a guy who led the conference in receptions. We are very happy for Brian and expect him to work harder to be even better next year.β
Most outstanding player honours were last awarded to a member of the Acadia squad in 2011 and 2012 when quarterback Kyle Graves earned back-to-back honours for the Axemen.
The last Acadia player to earn the Hec Crighton Trophy as CIS outstanding player of the year was Bob Cameron in 1977.
Former Saint Mary’s quarterback Erik Glavic and former Mount Allison star Eric Lapointe are the most recent Atlantic conference winners of the Hec Crighton Trophy.
Lapointe won the award both in 1996 and 1998 while Glavic was the 2007 recipient.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Chris Reid, Mount Allison
The AUS rookie of the year is Mount Allison running back Chris Reid.
The 5-foot-6, 180-pound arts student from Brampton, Ont. played in all eight of the Mountiesβ regular season games this year, en route to their first-ever undefeated season.
Reid led the Atlantic conference in rushing and finished second nationally, posting 987 total yards on 173 carries. He also scored a league-leading five rushing touchtowns for the Mounties.
The Mount Allison freshman also led the AUS in yards per rush (5.7) and in rushing yards per game (123.4).
Reid was also named to the 2014 AUS football all-star team Wednesday.
βChris has improved every week this year,β said Mounties head coach Kelly Jeffrey. βHe has great burst and is very difficult to bring down with just one defender.β
βChris has a great ability to make people miss and extend plays when the ball is in his hands,β Jeffrey added. βHis statistics reflect his passion and discipline to improve whenever he has been given the opportunity. He has been a great teammate since stepping on campus.β
The most recent player from the Mount Allison squad to earn AUS rookie of the year honours was Reidβs current teammate and fellow all-star Jacob LeBlanc who earned the accolade in 2011.
Mount Allison’s Sebastien Roy (1999) and StFX’s Jeremy Steeves (2001) are the most recent Atlantic conference winners of the Peter Gorman Trophy as the top rookie in CIS football.
OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jonathan Langa, Saint Maryβs (Tony Proudfoot Trophy)
Saint Maryβs linebacker Jonathan Langa of Etobicoke, Ont., has been named the AUS outstanding defensive player of the year.
A fourth-year criminology student in his third year of eligibility, Langa led the country in total tackles this season with 80.0 (62 solo and 36 assisted).
He set a new AUS all-time record for the most tackles by an individual in a single season. The record was previously held by former Mount Allison standout Callan Exeter who posted 77.5 tackles in 2008.
In an Oct. 18 game versus the StFX X-Men, Langa posted 13.0 tackles, putting him in a four-way tie for fifth place in the AUS record books for most tackles in a single game.
Following his third season with the Huskies, he currently sits in 11th place in the all-time records for career tackles with 155.5.
Langa was also named a 2014 AUS football defensive all-star yesterday. This is his third consecutive year being named an Atlantic conference all-star.
βJay is not only a tremendous football player, he is an incredible young man,β said Huskies head coach Perry Marchese. βHe is a team leader on and off the field. He is an extremely hard worker and gives 100 per cent effort every play, all the time. He is the heart and soul of the team and has an amazing future in whatever he decides to do.β
Langa is the first Saint Maryβs student-athlete to win this AUS honour since former Huskies standout Tim St. Pierre claimed the award in 2007.
Langa will now represent the conference as the AUS nominee for the Presidents’ Trophy awarded to the CIS outstanding defensive player of the year.
The most recent member of a Huskies squad to earn the national honour was former Saint Maryβs standout Alex Eliopoulos who took home the award in 1992.
The national award was last won by a player from the Atlantic conference when StFX’s Henoc Muamba earned the honour in 2010.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Kelly Jeffrey, Mount Allison (Larry Uteck Trophy)
Mount Allison head coach Kelly Jeffrey has been chosen by his peers as the Atlantic conference coach of the year.
This is the third time in Jeffreyβs seven-year career as Mounties head coach that he has earned the honour. He was also named AUS coach of the year in 2010 and 2013.
This season, Jeffrey led the Mounties to an 8-0 regular season record β the programβs first-ever undefeated season.
Finishing atop the AUS standings, the Mounties earned the right to host the 2014 Subway AUS Loney Bowl, marking the first time since 1998 that they will host the AUS championship game.
This season, Jeffreyβs Mount Allison squad led the conference in scoring with 234 points, in rushing touchdowns with 14 and in total touchdowns with 25.
The Mounties squad also allowed the fewest point against per game in the country this season, giving up an average of just 8.0.
Under Jeffreyβs leadership, the Mounties also led the AUS in an array of other statistical categories including total offense (2,702), yards per game (359.8), rushing yards (1,339), rushing attempts (286), yards per rush (4.7), punt returns (66-for-698), punt return average (10.6) and sacks (27).
The Mount Allison squad also led both the conference and the country in fumble recoveries with 13.
βWe are very pleased to see Coach Jeffrey once again rewarded as AUS coach of the year for his efforts in leading our Mounties football program,β said Mount Allison director of athletics Pierre Arsenault. βThe leadership, vision and work ethic of Coach Jeffrey and his staff have been the single biggest factor in the return to competitiveness for our program. Our student-athletes are fortunate to work every day with such a passionate and professional head coach who understands deeply how to succeed at the CIS level.β
Prior to his career with Mount Allison, Jeffrey served as head coach and offensive coordinator at Mayville State University in North Dakota for four years (2002-2005) and as a quarterback coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2001) and at the University of San Diego (1998-2000).
He also served as a running backs coach at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota from 1996 to 1997 and as a wide receivers coach at North Dakotaβs Dickinson State University from 1994-1995.
Jeffrey now becomes the AUS nominee for the Frank Tindall Trophy (CIS coach of the year).
Head coach of the Acadia Axemen, Jeff Cummins, is the most recent AUS coach to receive the national honour, which he was awarded in 2011.
OUTSTANDING LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: Jacob LeBlanc, Mount Allison
The Atlantic University Sport outstanding lineman of the year is defensive tackle Jacob LeBlanc of the Mount Allison Mounties.
LeBlanc, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound commerce student from Halifax, N.S., led the Mounties defence as the team posted their first-ever undefeated season and allowed fewer points against per game (8.0) than any other CIS football team.
LeBlanc posted 18.5 tackles this season (13 solo and 11 assisted). Among them were seven tackles for a loss of 34 total yards, including four sacks for a loss of 19 total yards.
He also added two fumble recoveries over the course of the regular season.
For the fourth time in his AUS career, LeBlanc was named a 2014 AUS football defensive all-star Wednesday. He first earned a place on the all-star squad during his 2011 freshman campaign when he was also named AUS rookie of the year.
In 2012, LeBlanc was also named to the CIS second team all-Canadian squad.
βJacobβs combination of size and quickness allows him to attack in different ways up front,β said Mounties head coach Kelly Jeffrey. βHis ability to create havoc on the defensive line allows others to make plays around him. Jacob has a relentless motor and pursues the ball with great passion. His work in the middle of the defence was the key to our defence not allowing a rushing touchdown in eight regular season games.β
LeBlanc will now represent the conference as the nominee for the J.P. Metras Trophy which was last brought back to the AUFC in 1997 when StFX’s Mike Kushnir was named the CIS’s top lineman.
A Mount Allison player has yet to receive the national honour.
STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Sean Stoqua, Acadia
Defensive back Sean Stoqua of the Acadia Axemen is the 2014 Atlantic University Sport student-athlete community service award recipient and will be the conference nominee for the prestigious Russ Jackson Award.
Named after CFL quarterback Russ Jackson, this award recognizes a Canadian university football player who excels on the field, in academics, and in community service.
A fourth-year kinesiology student in his third year of eligibility from Ottawa, Ont., Stoqua is a three-time academic all-Canadian with a 3.67 overall GPA who is currently working on his honours thesis on recovery methods from exercise.
Athletically, Stoqua is an integral part of the Axemen defence. After being forced to sit out last season with an ankle injury, he returned in full force this season, posting 24.5 total tackles (20 solo and nine assisted). His 2014 stats also included three interceptions which he returned for 40 total yards, a forced fumble and a pass break-up.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound student-athlete is also a member of the Acadia Axemen basketball team.
In his freshman (2011-12) and sophomore (2012-13) campaigns with the basketball squad, he averaged 12.4 and 8.6 points per game respectively, helping the Axemen win the AUS championship banner in 2012.
Stoqua is highly involved in his community, volunteering his time to an array of causes and organizations.
This year, he visited various local high schools, presenting to students about time management and how to manage the transition from high school to university.
He has been a member of the Acadia Playersβ Association for the past two years and has served as a coach for the local Kentville Wildcats basketball team for the past three.
Last season, Stoqua volunteered with Acadiaβs S.M.I.L.E. program (Sensory Motor Instructional Learning Experience), which provides an environment of play that fosters fundamental motor development for children and youth with varying ability levels.
He also lent his time to Kinderskills Acadia, a group that works with children between the ages of 0 and 4 to promote and develop gross and fine movement skills.
Stoqua led fundraising efforts for Camp Triumph last year β an organization which provides a unique camp experience for children who have a family member with a serious chronic or terminal illness or disability.
He organized door-to-door fundraising as well as 50/50 raffles for the cause, bringing in over $1,000. He then served as a camp counsellor for a week this past summer.
βSean Stoqua has had a great deal of success at Acadia on the football field, on the basketball court and in the classroom,β said Axemen head coach Jeff Cummins. βHe has won two conference championships in football and one in basketball while playing a major role on both teams, all the while maintaining academic all-Canadian status through each of his three years at Acadia.β
βWhat I have been most impressed with is his selflessness in the community, on campus and within each of our teams,β he added. βSean is a glowing representation of what we would like all of our student-athletes to aspire to.β
The last Acadia football player to receive the AUS student-athlete community service award was former Axemen standout Andrew Frazer who earned the honour in 2011.
Stoqua now becomes the AUS nominee for the CIS award. The last AUS student-athlete to be awarded the Russ Jackson Award was Mount Allisonβs Dan Parker in 2005.
VOLUNTEER COACH OF THE YEAR: Terry Tait, Mount Allison (Phil Hughes Award)
Terry Tait of the Mount Allison Mounties is the 2014 recipient of the Phil Hughes Award as the Atlantic University Sport volunteer coach of the year.
Tait, a native of Moncton, N.B., joined the Mount Allison coaching staff in 2011 as an assistant offensive line coach and has been with the team as a volunteer ever since.
Over Taitβs last three seasons helping Mount Allisonβs offensive line, the Mounties have produced the conferenceβs leading rusher three times. This past season, under Taitβs guidance, the Mounties had two offensive linemen named to the AUS all-star team for the first time since 2010.
βCoach Tait has been a key part of our offensive lines development,β said Mounties head coach Kelly Jeffrey. βHis commitment to getting our players better has been excellent. Coach Tait is continually working in and out of season to help improve our OL skills and techniques. He is an extremely important piece of our staff.β
Taitβs volunteer experience in the football community spans 26 years and various levels, including provincial, high school, junior, bantam and peewee. He is a NCCP certified level 2 coach.
βTerryβs work with the New Brunswick provincial teams has been invaluable as he has coached in two Canada Cups to go along with U16 and U17 teams and working with the U18 foundation level,β said Jeffrey.
βTerry has spent countless hours working with kids of all ages and at all levels of football,β he added. βHis work ethic and passion for coaching football at all levels is unmatched and the intelligence, discipline and execution he instills in his players can be seen in the way his athletes improve on a daily basis.β
Tait is the first volunteer coach to win the Phil Hughes Award for Mount Allison since former Mounties player-turned-coach Travis Tait earned back-to-back honours in 2005 and 2006.
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All Atlantic University Sport major award winners automatically become finalists for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) awards which will be handed out at the all-Canadian awards banquet, Thursday, Nov. 27, preceding the 50th Telus Vanier Cup.
The 2014 Subway AUS Loney Bowl takes place this Saturday at MacAulay Field on the campus of Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B.
The Mount Allison Mounties (8-0) host the StFX X-Men (5-3, 1-0 playoffs) to battle for the Jewett Trophy, Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.live on Eastlink TV. The game will also be available live via webcast at www.AUStv.ca.
The winner will advance to the 2014 CIS Mitchell Bowl, which will be played Saturday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. EST at the home of the OUA champions.
The winner of the CIS Mitchell Bowl will advance to face the winner of the CIS Uteck Bowl in the 50th Telus Vanier Cup being played at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal, Que. on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. EST.
Event and ticket information for the 2014 Subway AUS Loney Bowl can be found by visiting www.mta.ca/loneybowl.
Ticket information and other event details for the 2014 CIS Mitchell Bowl will be announced once the OUA host has been determined.
Event and ticket information for the 50th Telus Vanier cup can be found by visiting www.vaniercup.com.
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