Bishop’s QB Justin Quirion becomes Gaiters’ first-ever AUS Most Outstanding Player

Atlantic University Sport (AUS) unveiled its award winner and all-stars on Friday, with Bishop’s University quarterback Justin Quirion making history as the school’s first MVP since joining the conference in 2017.

The five-foot-10, 178-pound passer from Saint-Georges, Que. led the Gaiters to an undefeated regular season, completing 169-of-261 passes for 2,307 yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Now in his third year in Lennoxville, he recorded the fourth-highest single-season passing total in AUS history while also rushing for 154 yards and a pair of majors.

Quirion will now become the conference’s nominee for the Hec Crighton Trophy, which has not been won by an AUS player since Erik Glavic in 2007. A player from Bishop’s has won the award in the intervening years, however, as quarterback Jordan Heather was honoured in 2013 while the school played in the RSEQ.

The Gaiters received three other major conference awards, including Coach of the Year for Cherif Nicolas. He’ll be eligible for the Frank Tindall Trophy for the first time after his team led the AUS in scoring, total offence, rushing yards, yards passing, points allowed, yards allowed, and sacks.

Halfback Alex MacDonald was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player and received the nomination for the President’s Trophy. The six-foot, 210-pound defender for Eastern Passage, N.S. recorded 37.5 total tackles and was tied for the AUS lead in sacks with 5.5, while also finishing second in tackles for loss with 10.5.

Defensive tackle Brandon-James Poulin-Marques was named the conference’s Outstanding Lineman and will vie for the J.P. Metras Trophy. The six-foot-two, 240-pound gap plugger from Montreal, Que. made 33 total tackles and four sacks, while leading the AUS with 11 tackles for loss.

Rounding out the major award winners was Acadia kicker Nick Swain, who was named Rookie of the Year after going seven-for-10 on field goals and will compete for the Peter Gorman Trophy. Saint Mary’s running back Malik Williams will be a finalist for the prestigious Russ Jackson Award after receiving the Student-Athlete Community Service Award, while Huskies offensive line coach Gord Beattie has been put forward for the Gino Fracas Award as the conference’s top assistant.

Unsurprisingly given their dominance this season, Bishop’s also led the way with 10 conference all-star selections. St. FX was second with nine, Saint Mary’s and Mount Allison both received four, and Acadia got two.

2024 AUS FOOTBALL ALL-STARS

Defensive Tackle: Brandon-James Poulin-Marques, Bishop’s (4^th year – Montreal, QC)
Defensive Tackle: David McGill, STFX (3^rd year – Powassan, ON)
Defensive End: Hunter Lambert-Mousseau, STFX (5^th year – Sault Ste Marie, ON)
Defensive End: Jaurès Goké, Bishop’s (4^th year – Bangui, RCA)
Linebacker: Gabriel Royer, Bishop’s (4^th year – Lawrenceville, QC)
Linebacker: Riley Comeau, Acadia (4^th year – Centreville, NS)
Linebacker: Zach Chiarotto, Saint Mary’s (4^th year – Winnipeg, MB)
Safety: Owen O’Neal, Mount Allison (4^th year – Sackville, NB)
Halfback: Alex MacDonald, Bishop’s (3^rd year – Eastern Passage, NS)
Halfback: Max Van Nieuwkoop, Saint Mary’s (5^th year – Burlington, ON)
Cornerback: Logan Mendes, Saint Mary’s (1^st year – Quispamsis, NB)
Cornerback: Jet Agette, Mount Allison (3^rd year – Ottawa, ON)

Centre: Kilian Kelly, STFX (2^nd year – Milton, ON)
Guard: Mitchell Martel, Bishop’s (4^th year – Kirkland, QC)
Guard: Will Chapman, STFX (5^th year – Bedford, NS)
Tackle: Nicolas Pilichos, Acadia (4^th year – Bedford, NS)
Tackle: Philippe Létourneau, Bishop’s (1^st year – Lévis, QC)
Receiver: Oliver Burnett, Bishop’s (4^th year – Fredericton, NB)
Receiver: Nolan Cheeseman, Mount Allison (3^rd year – Upper Tantallon, NS)
Receiver: Ben Harrington, STFX (4^th year – Dartmouth, NS)
Receiver: Trydell Mintis, Saint Mary’s (4^th year – Halifax, NS)
FB/TE/H-Back: Marco Briones, Bishop’s (4^th year – Monterrey, Mexico)
Running Back: O’Shae Ho-Sang, Bishop’s (4^th year – Lasalle, QC)
Running Back: Caleb Fogarty, STFX (4^th year – Moncton, NB)
Quarterback: Justin Quirion, Bishop’s (3^rd year – Saint Georges, QC)

Punter: Max Capriotti, STFX (5^th year – Mount Hope, ON)
Place Kicker: Ben Hadley, STFX (5^th year – Halifax, NS)
Kick Returner: Ben Harrington, STFX (4^th year – Dartmouth, NS)
Rush/Cover: Owen O’Neal, Mount Allison (4^th year – Sackville, NB)

The AUS football semi-finals will be played Saturday, November 2 with St. FX hosting Saint Mary’s at 1:00 p.m. EST and Bishop’s welcoming Acadia at 2:00 p.m. EST.