McGill to host 2015 CIS East-West Bowl

OTTAWA  – Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced Monday that McGill University had been selected to host the 13^th annual East-West Bowl, next spring in Montreal.

Organized by the Canadian University Football Coaches Association, the East-West Bowl showcases – for the most part – CIS players who are eligible for the CFL Canadian Draft the following year.

In 2015, the week-long event is set to kick off on Tuesday, May 5 with the first of four days of testing and practices, and will culminate with the much-anticipated prospect game on Saturday, May 9 at historic Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, which turns 95 years old later this fall (Oct. 25) and will also be the venue for the upcoming 50^th TELUS Vanier Cup final, on Nov. 29.

It will mark the first staging of the East-West Bowl in Montreal, following six straight years at Western University in London, one year at McMaster in Hamilton (2008), two at Laval in Quebec City (2006-2007) and three at Wilfrid Laurier in Waterloo (2003-2005).

“We are excited to announce that McGill will be hosting the 2015 East-West Bowl,” said Mount Allison head coach Kelly Jeffrey, who serves as president of CUFCA. “Over the last few years, Western has done an excellent job in hosting the event and allowing it to grow in its partnership with the CFL. We look forward to the East-West Bowl’s continued growth in Montreal and providing opportunities for our athletes to showcase their talents for the CFL and football fans across Canada.”

The East team for the prospect game is comprised of players from the AUS and RSEQ conferences, as well as Carleton, Ottawa, Queen’s and Toronto. The West contingent is made up of student-athletesfrom Canada West and the remaining OUA universities.

The East has won four of the last five contests, including a 19-12 decision last May in London, but the West still leads the overall series 8-4.

Thirty-eight of the 59 CIS players selected in the 2014 CFL Canadian Draft were past East-West Bowl participants, including all eight CIS standouts taken in the first round.

The rosters and coaches for the 2015 East-West Bowl will be announced in April.

NOTES: Past East-West Bowl participants also include Hec Crighton Trophy winners Kyle Quinlan (McMaster), Billy Greene (UBC), Brad Sinopoli (Ottawa), Benoit Groulx (Laval), Daryl Stephenson (Windsor), Andy Fantuz (Western), Jesse Lumsden (McMaster) and Tommy Denison (Queen’s)… Other notables include current NFL players Jon Ryan (Regina) of reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle, Stefan Charles (Regina) of Buffalo, Henoc Muamba (St.FX) of Indianapolis, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (McGill) of Kansas City and David Foucault (Montreal) of Carolina, as well as former NFLer Dan Federkeil (Calgary), who earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Indianapolis Colts in 2007… Molson Stadium hosted its first football game in 1919. Over the years, the home of the McGill Redmen and CFL’s Montreal Alouettes has been the site of many major football events, including the Grey Cup (1931), Yates Cup, Dunsmore Cup, Churchill Bowl, Mitchell Bowl, the Bol d’Or collegiate championship, the Montreal Shrine Bowl, the Shaughnessy Cup and the Montreal High School All-Star game.

EAST-WEST BOWL LOCATIONS & RESULTS:

2014 (at Western): East 19, West 12

2013 (at Western): West 18, East 17

2012 (at Western): East 24, West 16

2011 (at Western): East 34, West 27 (OT)

2010 (at Western): East 12, West 9

2009 (at Western): West 16, East 7

2008 (at McMaster): East 25, West 12

2007 (at Laval): West 22, East 19 (OT)

2006 (at Laval): West 34, East 26 (OT)

2005 (at Laurier): West 34, East 16

2004 (at Laurier): West 21, East 12

2003 (at Laurier): West 10, East 5

About the 50^th TELUS Vanier Cup

Canadian Interuniversity Sport will celebrate the 50^th TELUS Vanier Cup throughout its 2014 football season. For the first time in history, the championship game will be staged in Montreal – at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium – on Saturday, November 29, at 1 p.m. ET, live on Sportsnet and Radio-Canada.

Official TELUS Vanier Cup website (including ticket information) www.vaniercup.com