Université de Montréal quarterback Jonathan Senecal has been named one of eight finalists for the Lois and Doug Mitchell U Sports Athlete of the Year Awards.
Senecal won the Hec Crighton Trophy in 2023 as the top Canadian university football player after he led the Quebec conference in every passing category and set a new school single-season record for passing touchdowns. The six-foot, 200-pounder completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 2,215 yards with 15 touchdowns against four interceptions this season and ran the ball 34 times for 394 yards (11.6 per carry) with six majors.
The former transfer from the University of Connecticut helped lead the Carabins to a Vanier Cup title last season, knocking off the UBC Thunderbirds by a score of 16-9. He was named the MVP in that game and drew praise for his performance throughout the playoffs, drawing comparisons to Edmonton Elks’ quarterback Tre Ford due to his dual-threat ability.
Senecal is currently in training camp with the Montreal Alouettes as part of the CFL’s quarterback internship program and will be eligible for the 2025 Draft. General manager Danny Maciocia believes he could follow the same path as Ford to becoming a CFL signal-caller.
Competing against Senecal for the title of U Sports Male Athlete of the Year are University of New Brunswick hockey player Austen Keating, University of Guelph runner Max Davies, and Alberta volleyball player Isaac Heslinga. UNB basketball player Jayda Veinot, Laval sprinter Audrey Leduc, Brock volleyball player Sara Rohr, and UBC soccer player Katalin Tolnai are the nominees for Female Athlete of the Year.
The Lois and Doug Mitchell U Sports Athlete of the Year Awards will be presented on Monday, June 10 in Calgary. They are named after late CFL commissioner Doug Mitchell and his wife Lois, the former lieutenant governor of Alberta.
