Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks’ quarterback Taylor Elgersma has won the Larry Haylor Award as the Most Valuable Player in Ontario University Athletics (OUA).
The six-foot-six, 220-pound passer from London, Ont. completed 75.2 percent of his passes for 2,641 yards, 18 touchdowns, and four interceptions this season. He led all of U Sports in completion percentage and passing yards while finishing second in passing touchdowns. He also ran for 141 yards and six touchdowns to help his team finish the regular season with a 7-1 record and earn a spot in the Yates Cup for the first time since 2016.
Western Mustangs’ running back Keon Edwards won the award last year, while other previous winners include Tre Ford, Brad Sinopoli, Andy Fantuz, and Jesse Lumsden.
Ottawa Gee-Gees’ linebacker Max Charbonneau won the President’s Award as the conference’s outstanding stand-up defensive player. The 2023 CFL Draft pick led the conference with 62 total tackles and also recorded one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick. He is the first member of the Gee-Gees to win the award since strong-side linebacker Jackson Bennett did so in 2017.
Waterloo Warriors’ defensive lineman Tyson Hergott was given the J.P. Metras Award as the top offensive or defensive lineman in the conference. The six-foot-three, 260-pound defender recorded 38 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, one interception, and two pass knockdowns. The native of Waterloo, Ont. is eligible for the 2024 CFL Draft.
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks’ linebacker Ethan Gregorcic won the Norm Marshall Award as the top rookie in the OUA. The young defender out of Courtice, Ont. made 34 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one pass knockdown, and two interceptions over eight games in his first U Sports season.
McMaster Marauders’ defensive lineman Alex Cheng has won the OUA’s Russ Jackson Award, which recognizes a player with academic achievement, football skill, and citizenship. The big-bodied defender made 15.5 tackles and one fumble recovery while also managing a perfect GPA and serving as the executive of community outreach for McMaster Athletes Care. This marks the second straight year in which Cheng has won the award.
Windsor Lancers’ defensive backs coach and defensive recruiting assistant Isaiah Johns won the Champion of EDI Award, which is awarded to an individual who works to support equity, diversity, and inclusion on and off campus. John also serves as a linebacker coach and co-special teams coordinator with Team Ontario’s U16 team.
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks’ head coach Michael Faulds was given the David ‘Tuffy’ Knight Award as the OUA’s coach of the year. Laurier finished second in the conference at 7-1, the team’s best record since 2007, and achieved its first Yates Cup berth since 2016. The Golden Hawks had 11 OUA all-star selections, while the team finished second in points scored and third in points allowed.
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks’ offensive line coach and academic tracking coach Zach Scotto was named the OUA’s volunteer coach of the year. Scott is a full-time teacher in Kitchener-Waterloo yet still puts in full-time hours with the team, helping Cooper Hamilton become a second-team OUA all-star at offensive tackle.
