Tom Lynch named AUS Defensive Player of the Year
Nate Annan named AUS Rookie of the Year

2009 Atlantic University Sport Football Major Awards Announced
Courtesy Atlantic University Sport

November 12, 2009 (HALIFAX, NS) - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2009 football major award winners as selected by the conference's four head coaches following regular season play.

Wide receiver and return specialist Gary Ross of the Mount Allison Mounties is the 2009 Atlantic University Sport Most Outstanding Player. Ross, a fourth year student from Windsor, ON, had a record-setting season for the Mounties, leading the Atlantic conference in receptions (60), receiving yards (818 yards), receiving TD's (4) and all-purpose yards (1,423 yards).

Gary, who has been an all-star receiver and the conference's top special teams player in each of his four years at Mount Allison, is now the AUS career leader in receptions (172), receiving yards (2,582), and all-purpose yards (5,990 yards). This season, he was the only Atlantic conference player to average over 100 yards receiving per game (102.2 yds per game) and his 60 receptions are also a new AUS single-season record, smashing the previous mark of 48 shared by Acadia's Grant Davy and StFX's Jermayne Baldwin. His 818 yards receiving are a new Mounties single-season school record and the fourth highest total in league history.

Gary also added to his career return totals, as he was racked up 281 punt return yards and 186 kickoff return yards this season, including a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown vs. McGill in week three. He currently ranks second in AUS history with 1,679 career punt return yards and 1,403 career kickoff return yards.

"Gary can change the game in so many ways, as a returner, receiver or runner. He is very explosive and has the ability to score on every play," said Mounties head coach Kelly Jeffrey. "He has incredible desire to go along with tremendous speed and athleticism. Gary is an excellent leader and has mentored many of the young players on our team this year."

Ross, who was named both a first team CIS all-Canadian at receiver and a second team CIS all-Canadian return specialist in 2008, has also been an academic all-Canadian and has another year of eligibility remaining.

Kelly Hughes (2008) and Eric Lapointe (1996, '98) are the most recent Mounties to be named the conference's Player of the Year and former Saint Mary's quarterback Erik Glavic and Lapointe are the most recent Atlantic conference players to take home the Hec Crighton Trophy as the outstanding player in CIS. Lapointe won the award both in 1996 and 1998 while Glavic was the 2007 recipient.

The 2009 Defensive Player of the Year is StFX linebacker Tom Lynch. Tom, a native of Escott, ON, is in his third year of eligibility and has been selected an Atlantic conference all-star at linebacker the past two seasons.

Lynch recorded 29 solo tackles and assisted on 24 others for a total of 41.0 total tackles in eight regular season games to lead all StFX defenders this year. Tom also added 4.0 quarterback sacks, a forced fumble and led the AUS with 9.5 tackles for a loss, ranking him second among all defensive players in CIS football this season.

Tom is a key member of a StFX defense that led the conference in interceptions (16) and gave up a league-low 117.6 yards rushing per game.

"Tom is a tough football player who plays the game with an enormous amount of heart and determination," says StFX head coach Gary Waterman. "You know you are going to get a maximum effort out of Tom on every snap, whether it's in practice, on defense, or on special teams. He exhibits all of the traits that a coach could want in a football player."

Lynch will represent the conference as the AUS nominee for the Presidents’ Trophy. StFX's Henoc Muamba (2008) and Adam MacDonald (2002, '01) are the most recent StFX players to be named the AUS Defensive Player of the Year while MacDonald is also the most recent Atlantic conference winner of Presidents Trophy, which he was awarded in 2002.

Defensive lineman Nate Annan of the CIS No. 10 ranked StFX X-Men is the 2009 Atlantic University Sport football Rookie of the Year.

A first-year student from St. Thomas, ON, Nate has had an immediate impact with the StFX defense, starting in five games this season and recording 12.0 tackles and 2.0 sacks as a true freshman.

"Nate is a very tenacious football player who works hard to complete his assignment on every play," says StFX head coach Gary Waterman. "Nate has a bright future at this level."

Current StFX lineman Stewart Walsh is the last StFX player to be named the Atlantic conference Rookie of the Year (2007) and StFX's Jeremy Steeves (2001) is the most recent winner of the Peter Gorman Trophy as the top Rookie in CIS football.

The Atlantic University Sport Outstanding Lineman of the Year is Saint Mary's defensive end Devon Hicks. Hicks, a 6'2", 260-pound native of Trilby, Florida, had an immediate impact with the Huskies program this season.

Devon, who has had tryouts with the NFL's Green Bay Packers, the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, appeared in just six regular season games but led the conference with 5.0 sacks this year and finished fourth with 7.5 tackles for a loss.

Hicks led all AUS defensive lineman with 28.0 tackles (20 solo, 16 assisted) and in a key week seven match-up with the StFX X-Men to determine first place, he was named the AUS and CIS defensive player of the week after returning two interceptions for touchdowns as the Huskies won by a score of 41-7. Devon was also credited with three forced fumbles this season, one of which he recovered.

"Devon came to Saint Mary's and has exceeded anything we could imagine," says head coach Steve Sumarah. "He is an outstanding football player but an even better person. He has wrecked havoc on opposing teams' run game and in only six games led the conference in sacks."

Hicks will represent the conference as the nominee for the J.P. Metras Trophy which was last brought back to the AUFC in 1997 when StFX's Mike Kushnir was named the CIS's top lineman. The last Saint Mary's player to be named AUS Lineman of the Year was offensive lineman Steve Morley, who took home the award in 2002.  

For the third consecutive season, Saint Mary's head coach Steve Sumarah has led the Huskies to a first place finish and has been selected by his peers as the Atlantic conference Coach of the Year. Sumarah, now in his fourth year at the helm of the Huskies' program, led the team to a third straight 7-1 regular season record in 2009 and a bye into this weekend's Subway Loney Bowl.

His Huskies, currently ranked No. 6 in CIS, have won seven consecutive games since a season-opening road loss to the StFX X-Men. Saint Mary's, who had ten players honoured as conference all-stars earlier this week, led the conference in scoring with 266 points while also allowing the fewest points against (119).

Steve is a native of Halifax, NS, has been a former receiver at both StFX and Saint Mary's, and has been a coach with the Huskies program for a total of 12 years. In 1999, he was chosen as the Football Nova Scotia Coach of the Year and in 2000, he was named the Atlantic University Sport Volunteer Coach of the Year as a member of Blake Nill's staff. In four seasons as head coach, Sumarah has compiled a 24-7 regular season record and is 28-10 overall, including AUS and CIS post-season play.

Greg Knight (Halifax, NS) of the Acadia Axemen is the Atlantic University Sport Student-Athlete Community Service Award winner and is the conference nominee for the Russ Jackson Award. Named after CFL quarterback Russ Jackson, the award recognizes a Canadian university football player who excels on the field, in academics, and in community service.

Knight is a fourth year offensive lineman and Kinesiology student at Acadia with a cumulative GPA of 3.03 who was an academic all-Canadian this past year. Named a team captain this season, Greg was the 2008 recipient of the Kristen Pipe Memorial Award, given by head coach Jeff Cummins each year to a football player who displays a well rounded life style and gives to the community while still maintaining a high competitive level on the field.

Knight has participated in the S.M.I.L.E (sensory, motor, instructional, leadership experience) program at Acadia in each of his five years in Wolfville. The program provides an environment of play and fun that fosters fundamental motor development for children and youth with varying ability levels.

Greg has also been involved in many other volunteer initiatives while at Acadia, including coaching the Valley War Dogs under-20 football team, canvassing for the Alzheimer’s society, participating as a captain in the 'Relay for Life' to raise funds for cancer research, volunteering with the Special Olympics and he has also represented the university as an Acadia University Ambassador.

"Greg is the kind of quality kid you bring onto your team to elevate your entire program," said Axemen head coach Jeff Cummins. "His consistency and work ethic on the field, off the field and in the classroom exemplifies all of the attributes we want for our team and he is a very deserving nominee for the Russ Jackson Award."

Devin Murphy of the Saint Mary's Huskies is the recipient of the Phil Hughes Award as the Atlantic conference's Volunteer Coach of the Year.

Devin is a defensive backs coach with the Huskies program and works closely with defensive coordinator Danny Laramee on game planning and preparation. In the off-season he is involved with the training of many of the Saint Mary's student-athletes both in the gym and on the field. This past year Murphy was also the defensive coordinator of the under-17 Nova Scotia provincial football team.

"Devin is one of the most dedicated and hardest working coaches we have had at Saint Mary's since I have been here," says head coach Steve Sumarah. "He moved here when Danny Laramee took the assistant head coaching job and has been an outstanding contributor to our program. His hard work and commitment to the to his DB athletes has allowed them to develop in their knowledge and ability to play the game. Devin has made this program better for his contributions."

All Atlantic University Sport major award winners automatically become finalists for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) awards to be handed out during Vanier Cup week in Laval, QC.

The 2009 Subway Loney Bowl is taking place this weekend in Halifax, NS. The Saint Mary's Huskies (7-1) host the StFX X-Men (6-2, 1-0 playoffs) to battle for the Jewett Trophy, Saturday afternoon at 1:00pm live on EastLink Television, with a 30-minute pre-game show beginning at 12:30pm. Loney Bowl tickets are now on sale at The Tower front desk or may be purchased over the phone with a credit card only at 902-420-5440.

The winner will advance to the Uteck Bowl the following weekend at Huskies Stadium in Halifax to face either the CIS No. 3 ranked Saskatchewan Huskies or the CIS No. 2 ranked Calgary Dinos. Uteck Bowl tickets are available now and can be purchased on-line at www.ticketatlantic.ca or by calling 902-451-1221.