ANTIGONISH: Atlantic University Sport has announced the 2016 football major award winners and all-stars as selected by the conference’s four head coaches following regular season play.
The awards were announced at the 2016 AUS football banquet Friday evening, November 11, at St. Francis Xavier University.
OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tivon Cook, StFX (Chris Flynn Trophy)
Quarterback Tivon Cook of the first-place StFX X-Men was selected as the AUS outstanding player of the year.
A fifth-year arts student from Scarborough, Ont., Cook led the AUS in nearly every passing category this season, including completions (174), attempts (251), completion percentage (69.3 percent), yards (2,537) and yards per game (317.1). He also led in touchdowns with 21 on the season.
The five-foot-nine, 205-lb senior broke several StFX school records this season. His six touchdown passes in StFX’s final regular season game versus Mount Allison tied a school record for the most in a game as he went 22 for 27.
He broke the X-Men records for passing yards in a single season (2,537), career passing attempts (871), career passing completions (536) and career passing yards (6,943).
He now sits tied for second in the AUS record book for passing touchdowns in a single game, passing yards in a single season, career passing attempts, career passing completions and third in career passing yards.
“Tivon Cook, in my opinion, is a very worthy recipient of this award,” said StFX head coach Gary Waterman. “He’s worked hard to prepare himself for each and every game, and the results on game day have been evident. He’s also an exceptional student of the game, and his teammates have benefitted from his leadership this season.”
The is the second consecutive year a member of the StFX X-Men has been named AUS’s most outstanding player. Former X-Men standout Ashton Dickson earned the honour last season. Cook now becomes the Atlantic conference nominee for the Hec Crighton Trophy as U Sports outstanding player of the year. The honour has never been won by a member of the StFX X-Men.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Gary Waterman, StFX (Larry Uteck Trophy)
StFX X-Men head coach Gary Waterman was chosen by his peers as the Atlantic conference coach of the year for the second consecutive season.
In his eighth year at the helm of the StFX program, Waterman led the defending AUS champion X-Men to a 7-1 regular season record and a first-place finish in the Atlantic conference standings.
The X-Men also earned the hosting rights to the Subway AUS Loney Bowl. Waterman’s X-Men led the conference this regular season in points per game (37.4), first downs per game (21.1), passing yards per game (323.6) and total net yards offense per game (484.5).
StFX was first in the league in passing touchdowns with 22, field goals (17-24) and point-after attempts (31-31). They were also first in defensive interceptions with 16 on the season.
In the three seasons prior to his time as head coach, Waterman served as defensive coordinator with the X-Men. His hiring as head coach in 2009 marked the first time in StFX history that an alumnus led the football program.
Waterman played with the X-Men from 1988-1992 where he proved to be an impressive player on both sides of the ball, playing as a running back and a defensive back.
A three-time AUS all-star, Waterman was named StFX MVP for three seasons and was a two-time captain of the X-Men.
Waterman now becomes the AUS nominee for the Frank Tindall Trophy awarded to the national coach of the year.
John Stevens is the only StFX head coach to have ever earned the CIS award. He won the Frank Tindall Trophy in 1997.
OUTSTANDING LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: Vernon Sainvil, StFX
Vernon Sainvil of the StFX X-Men was named the AUS outstanding lineman of the year.
The six-foot-four, 330-lb offensive lineman played in all eight regular season games for the X-Men who managed a 7-1 record and a first-place finish in the AUS standings.
Sainvil, a fourth-year arts student from Malden, Massachusetts, anchored a StFX offensive line which led the conference in yards per game with 484.5 and in passing with 323.6 yards per game. The X-Men were second overall in rushing with 160.9 yards per game.
In addition to being named the league’s top lineman, Sainvil was also named to the 2016 AUS all-star team for the third consecutive year. He was also named a CIS second team all-Canadian the last two seasons.
Sainvil’s offensive line allowed running back and 2016 AUS all-star Jordan Socholotiuk to become just the third-ever player from StFX to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season.
“Vernon sets the tone for our offence, and our team, in many ways,” said X-Men head coach Gary Waterman. “He’s a physical player who creates a real presence on our offensive line, and he’s done a great job this season anchoring that unit.”
Sainvil 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.
VOLUNTEER COACH OF THE YEAR: Jim Daley, StFX (Phil Hughes Award)
Jim Daley of the StFX X-Men is the 2016 recipient of the Phil Hughes Award and the AUS nominee for the national Gino Fracas Award. This award is given annually to an assistant coach who does not make their full-time living coaching football for the university.
Daley, a native of Ottawa, Ont., joined the X-Men coaching staff in 2015 as the special teams coordinator. He has experience coaching every level of football in Canada over the past 38 years, including an extensive background with the CFL, having been a coach and administrator in the league since 1991.
Coach Daley served as CFL head coach with Winnipeg (2004-05) and Saskatchewan (1996-98), guiding the Roughriders to the 1997 Grey Cup game. He also served as the head football coach for the University of Ottawa and spent time as an assistant coach with Carleton prior to joining the CFL ranks.
As special teams coordinator for the X-Men, Daley has helped to develop the leading punt returner (Kaion Julien-Grant, 14.1-yard average), punter (Keiran Burnham, 36.0-yard average), and kicker (Jonathan Heidebrecht, 82 points) in the conference. All three players were named to the 2016 AUS all-star team.
Head coach Gary Waterman credits Daley with instilling in the program what he described as an unparalleled appreciation for special teams which has translated into great success on the field.
“Coach Daley is a tireless worker who arrives early to campus each morning and makes himself available to his players throughout the day,” said Waterman. “Daley’s fiery coaching style injects energy into every X-Men practice, and his methods are effective due to the close relationships he creates with his players.
“Through his role as Special Teams Coordinator, Daley has positively impacted every facet of our football team with his focus on blocking and tackling fundamentals, as well as his overall mentorship of our players,” continued Waterman.
“Daley has also helped develop his peers on the coaching staff by granting them access to his years of experience and knowledge. I believe he is a worthy recipient of this award.”
2016 AUS All-Stars
StFX players who were named 2016 AUS All-Stars included Kyle Forde, Defensive End; Adam Kuntz, Linebacker; Hayden Peters, Halfback; Paolo Lach-Edwards, Cornerback; Jacob Czaja, Guard; Vernon Sainvil, Tackle; Kaion Julien-Grant, Receiver; Dejuan Martin, Receiver; Christian Ridley, Receiver; Jordan Socholotiuk, Running Back; Tivon Cook, Quarterback; Jonathan Heidebrecht, Place Kicker; Keiran Burnham, Punter; and Kaion Julien-Grant, Kick Returner.