The Canada West has announced its major award winners for the 2023 season, naming University of Alberta running back Matthew Peterson as the conference’s Player of the Year.
The fourth-year workhorse from Brooks, Alta. finished second in the nation with 1,128 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 118 carries. He averaged more than 9.6 yards per carry while powering the Golden Bears to their best regular season finish since 2005.
Peterson will now represent the conference as their nominee for the Hec Crighton Trophy, with a chance to become just the second running back to win the award in a decade — joining fellow Alberta legend Ed Illnicki.
Unsurprisingly, University of British Columbia right tackle Theo Benedet was named the conference’s Outstanding Lineman for a second consecutive season. The six-foot-seven, 305-pound blocker was the driver of UBC’s conference-leading offence and is expected to receive considerable NFL interest this offseason after participating in last year’s East-Shrine Bowl.
Benedet will get the chance to defend the J.P. Metras Trophy he took home in 2022. No offensive lineman has ever won the award twice, with Laval defensive ends Mathieu Betts and Arnaud Gascon-Nadon being the only multi-time winners.
University of Saskatchewan linebacker Nick Wiebe was selected as Outstanding Defensive Player and has earned the nomination for the President’s Trophy. The transfer from the University of Oregon was a disruptive force in the middle for the Huskies, leading the conference with 60.5 total tackles through eight games.
University of Regina quarterback Owen Sieben was named the Rookie of the Year after completing 64.6 percent of his passes for 1,356 yards and five touchdowns in six games. The product of Langley, B.C., will be nominated for the Peter Gorman Trophy.
University of Alberta head coach Chris Morris earned Coach of the Year honours after a 6-2 campaign that was the school’s first winning season since 2005. University of Manitoba offensive coordinator Vaughan Mitchell was nominated for the Gino Fracas Award as assistant coach of the year, while his offensive lineman Mark Rauhaus received the Student-Athlete Community Service Award and will be in contention for the prestigious Russ Jackson Award nationally.
The UBC Thunderbirds (7-2) are set to host the Alberta Golden Bears (7-2) on Saturday, November 11 at 1:00 p.m. in the 86th Hardy Cup. The winner of that game will host the AUS Loney Bowl champions in the Mitchell Bowl national semi-final next week.
