OTTAWA (CIS) – Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced Wednesday the rosters for the 14th annual East-West Bowl, which will take place at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal on Saturday, May 14 at 1 p.m., live on CIS-SIC.tv.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE (including ticket info): http://english.cis-sic.ca/eastwestbowl
For the second straight year, McGill University will host the week-long event featuring – for the most part – CIS players heading into their Canadian Football League draft year.
In addition to the prospects game, the 2016 edition, which kicks off on Tuesday, May 10, includes three days of practices, a combine for participating players, a CFL free-agent camp, as well as the traditional East-West Bowl banquet. A detailed schedule is included below.
“I’m looking forward to working with the finest coaches and student-athletes in Canadian university football,” said Blake Nill, the head coach of the reigning Vanier Cup champion UBC Thunderbirds who will be at the helm of the West team, marking his sixth all-time selection as sideline boss at the East-West Bowl. “It’s an important part of showcasing our game and I’m positive this year’s edition of the East-West Bowl will live up to expectations and the high standards set by the event in previous years.”
“It will be a pleasure to once again coach young student-athletes who have the potential to play football at the next level,” said Danny Maciocia, who guided the Montreal Carabins to their second straight Vanier Cup appearance last November and who will lead the East squad for the second consecutive year. “We will give them the tools to showcase their talent in front of CFL coaches and scouts. But on top of that, we want them to enjoy a memorable experience both on and off the field, with players from across the country.”
For the most part, the East team is comprised of players from the AUS and RSEQ conferences as well as Carleton, Ottawa and Queen’s, while the West contingent is made up of student-athletes from Canada West and the remaining OUA universities.
No less than 15 standouts who will take the field on May 14 have been named all-Canadians since the start of their CIS career. The list includes receiver Nate Behar of Carleton, defensive linemen Sam Narkaj of Concordia and Adam Melanson of Acadia, and defensive backs Devante Sampson of Mount Allison and Alex Hovington of Laval for the East, as well as receivers Rashaun Simonise of Calgary, Danny Vandervoort of McMaster and Mitch Hillis of Saskatchewan, offensive lineman Braden Schram of Calgary, defensive lineman Kwaku Boateng of Wilfrid Laurier, defensive backs Adam Laurensse of Calgary, Robert Woodson of Calgary, Jesse McNair of Western and Tunde Adeleke of Carleton, and kicker Félix Ménard-Brière of Montreal for the West.
St. Francis Xavier’s Dante Djan and Guelph’s James Roberts will quarterback the East prospects at Molson Stadium, while Manitoba’s Theo Deezar and McMaster’s Asher Hastings will be under centre for the West.
In his first campaign as the Marauders starting pivot last fall, Hastings set a single-season CIS record with 31 touchdown passes, including 11 to Vandervoort, who tied Simonise for the nation’s lead in TD receptions.
The East has won the last two East-West Bowl contests and five of the last six, including a 29-21 decision last May at Molson Stadium. However, the West still leads the all-time series 7-6.
NOTES: A few players might be added to the rosters in the coming weeks… The complete coaching staffs will be announced shortly… May 14th marks the 142nd anniversary of the first intercollegiate football game of North American style football, when McGill played at Harvard in 1874… Before moving to Montreal last spring, the East-West Bowl had been held in London (2009-2014), Hamilton (2008), Quebec City (2006-2007) and Waterloo (2003-2005)… Of the 44 CIS players selected in the 2015 CFL Canadian Draft, 32 were past East-West Bowl participants, including all seven CIS standouts taken in the first round… 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), as well as current or former NFL players Stefan Charles (Regina), Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (McGill), David Foucault (Montreal), Jon Ryan (Regina), Dan Federkeil (Calgary), Samuel Giguère (Sherbrooke), Cory Greenwood (Concordia), Vaughn Martin (Western) andHenoc Muamba (StFX).
2016 EAST-WEST BOWL SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, May 10
19:00-20:00 First meeting
20:00-22:00 Team meeting
Wednesday, May 11
10:00-13:00 Combine for participating players (Bell Sports Complex – Brossard)
16:00-18:00 Practice 1 (Molson Stadium)
18:00-22:00 CFL Free-Agent Camp (Molson Stadium)
20:00-22:00 Meetings
Thursday, May 12
10:00-12:00 Practice 2 (Molson Stadium)
15:30-17:30 Practice 3 (Molson Stadium)
18:00-19:30 Meetings
Friday, May 13
10:00-12:00 Practice 4 (Molson Stadium)
16:00-18:00 Practice 5 (Molson Stadium)
19:00-22:00 Banquet (Douglas Hall – McGill)
Saturday, May 14
13:00-16:00 East-West Bowl Game (Molson Stadium)
EAST-WEST BOWL RESULTS:
2015 (at McGill): East 29, West 21
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
2016 EAST-WEST BOWL ROSTERS
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Blake Nill (UBC)
Assistant coaches: TBA
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