Photos (courtesy of Jeff Chan)
Hamilton (November 20, 2008) – Thaine Carter of Nanaimo, B.C. earned the Presidents' Trophy as the nation's top defensive player in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) for the 2008 football season. He is the first Queen's student-athlete to claim the honour since the inception of the award in 1980.
The six-foot-two, 225-pound fourth-year senior led his team in tackles for the second straight season with a total of 42.5, including 33 solo, while also racking up three quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries in eight conference outings.
The economics student, who was named an OUA all-star for the second year in a row and a first-team all-Canadian, helped the Queen's defence finish first in Ontario with the fewest points allowed (116) and rushing yards allowed per game (87), totals that were good for second and third place in the country, respectively.
Carter led the Gaels to the first 8-0 campaign in team history, their first unblemished conference record since 1989 (7-0) and their first regular season title since 1997, when Queen's topped the defunct OQIFC with a 6-2 mark.
“Thaine has been the inspirational part of our defence for the past two seasons,” said Queen's head coach Pat Sheahan. “He is a motor that is always ready and is an indispensible part of our team.”
A trio of linebackers - St. Francis Xavier's Henoc Muamba of Kinshasa, Congo; Montreal's Joash Gesse of Montreal; and Calgary's Andrea Bonaventura of Hamilton - were also in the running for the Presidents' Trophy
The CIS also named its other major award recipients with Laval's Benoit Groulx earning the Hec Crighton Trophy for outstanding player of the year. Groulx took the top award over Queen's Mike Giffin of Kingston, Ont. who was also nominated.
Queen's defensive-end Osie Ukwuoma of Mississauga, Ont. was a runner-up to Laval's Étienne Légaré of St-Raymond, Que. for the J.P. Metras Trophy as outstanding down lineman. Waterloo's Jordan Verdone of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. captured the Peter Gorman Trophy as the nation's top rookie while Toronto's David Hamilton of Mississauga, Ont. received the Russ Jackson Award for combining academics, athletics and citizenship.
The winners of the Frank Tindall Trophy as CIS coach of the year and of the Gino Fracas Award, honouring a volunteer assistant coach, will be announced Friday morning at the CIS Coach of the Year Breakfast at the Hamilton Convention Centre. Gaels Head Coach Pat Sheahan is among the nominees for this award.
HEC CRIGHTON TROPHY NOMINEES (outstanding player):
AUFC: Kelly Hughes (Brampton, Ont.), quarterback, Mount Allison
QUFL: Benoit Groulx (Montreal, Que.), quarterback, Laval (recipient)
OUA: Mike Giffin (Kingston, Ont.), running back, Queen's
Canada West: Matt Walter (Calgary, Alta.), running back, Calgary
PRESIDENTS' TROPHY NOMINEES (outstanding defensive player):
AUFC: Henoc Muamba (Kinshasa, Congo), linebacker, St. Francis Xavier
QUFL: Joash Gesse (Montreal, Que.), linebacker, Montreal
OUA: Thaine Carter (Nanaimo, B.C.), linebacker, Queen's (recipient)
Canada West: Andrea Bonaventura (Hamilton, Ont.), linebacker, Calgary
J.P. METRAS TROPHY NOMINEES (outstanding down lineman):
AUFC: Steve Myddelton (Barrie, Ont.), offensive tackle, St. Francis Xavier
QUFL: Étienne Légaré (St-Raymond, Que.), defensive tackle, Laval (recipient)
OUA: Osie Ukwuoma (Mississauga, Ont.), defensive end, Queen's
Canada West: Scott McCuaig (Surrey, B.C.), defensive end, UBC
PETER GORMAN TROPHY NOMINEES (rookie of the year):
AUFC: Jahmeek Murray (Mississauga, Ont.), receiver & returns, Saint Mary's
QUFL: Harrison Maloney (Thurso, Que.), defensive halfback, Bishop's
OUA: Jordan Verdone (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.), linebacker, Waterloo (recipient)
Canada West: Ben Heenan (Regina, Sask.), offensive lineman, Saskatchewan
RUSS JACKSON AWARD NOMINEES (student-athlete community service):
AUFC: Harrison Petropolis (Halifax, N.S.), defensive tackle / science, St. Francis Xavier
QUFL: Benoit Boulanger (Sherbrooke, Que.), fullback / civil engineering, Sherbrooke
OUA: David Hamilton (Mississauga, Ont.), quarterback / human biology, Toronto (recipient)
Canada West: Teale Orban (Regina, Sask.), quarterback / business administration, Regina
PAST CIS FOOTBALL MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
HEC CRIGHTON TROPHY (Outstanding Player)
2007 Erik Glavic, Saint Mary's, QB
2006 Daryl Stephenson, Windsor, RB
2005 Andy Fantuz, Western Ontario, REC
2004 Jesse Lumsden, McMaster, RB
2003 Tommy Denison, Queen's, QB
2002 Tommy Denison, Queen's, QB
2001 Ben Chapdelaine, McMaster, QB
2000 Kojo Aidoo, McMaster, RB
1999 Phil Côté, Ottawa, QB
1998 Éric Lapointe, Mount Allison, RB
1997 Mark Nohra, UBC, RB
1996 Éric Lapointe, Mount Allison, RB
1995 Don Blair, Calgary, REC
1994 Bill Kubas, Wilfrid Laurier, QB
1993 Tim Tindale, Western, FB
1992 Eugene Buccigrossi, Toronto, QB
1991 Tim Tindale, Western, FB
1990 Chris Flynn, Saint Mary's, QB
1989 Chris Flynn, Saint Mary's, QB
1988 Chris Flynn, Saint Mary's, QB
1987 Jordan Gagner, UBC, QB
1986 Blake Marshall, Western, RB
1985 Larry Mohr, Queen's, RB
1984 Phil Scarfone, McMaster, QB
1983 Greg Vavra, Calgary, QB
1982 Rick Zmich, Ottawa, QB
1981 Dan Feraday, Toronto, QB
1980 Greg Marshall, Western, RB
1979 Scott Mallender, Windsor, QB
1978 Jamie Bone, Western, QB
1977 Bob Cameron, Acadia, QB/P/K
1976 Bob Stracina, Acadia, REC/K
1975 Brian Fryer, Alberta, REC
1974 Al Charuk, Acadia, FS
1973 Dave Pickett, Saskatchewan, QB
1972 Andrew Parici, Windsor, QB
1971 Mel Smith, Alberta, REC
1970 Paul Paddon, Ottawa, QB
1969 Dave Fleiszer, McGill, FB
1968 Mike Raham, Toronto, RB
1967 Mike Eben, Toronto REC
PRESIDENTS' TROPHY (Outstanding Defensive Player)
2007 Mat Nesbitt, Regina
2006 Patrick Donovan, Concordia
2005 Patrick Donovan, Concordia
2004 Mickey Donovan, Concordia
2003 Neil McKinlay, Simon Fraser
2002 Adam MacDonald, StFX
2001 David Stipe, Bishop's
2000 Joey Mikawoz, Manitoba
1999 Mike Letendre, Saskatchewan
1998 Warren Muzika, Saskatchewan
1997 Jason Van Geel, Waterloo
1996 Derek Krete, Western
1995 Paul Frlan, StFX
1994 Cory Delaney, Waterloo
1993 Lou Tiro, Toronto
1992 Alex Eliopoulos, Saint Mary's
1991 Ray Bernard, Bishop's
1990 Randy Power, Mount Allison
1989 Mark Singer, Alberta
1988 Leroy Blugh, Bishop's
1987 Brent Lewis, Western
1986 Mark Norman, UBC
1985 Darcy Kopp, Calgary
1984 Larry Oglesby, Mount Allison
1983 Tom Timlin, Carleton
1982 Mike Emery, UBC
1981 Mike Emery, UBC
1980 Rich Payne, Wilfrid Laurier
J.P. METRAS TROPHY (Outstanding Down Lineman)
2007 Scott Evans, Wilfrid Laurier
2006 Chris Best, Waterloo
2005 Dominic Picard, Laval
2004 Troy Cunningham, Concordia
2003 Ibrahim Khan, Simon Fraser
2002 Israel Idonije, Manitoba
2001 Carl Gourgues, Laval
2000 Randy Chevrier, McGill
1999 Tyson St. James, UBC
1998 Garret Everson, Calgary
1997 Mike Kushnir, StFX
1996 James Repesse, Saskatchewan
1995 Harry Van Hofwegen, Carleton
1994 Paul Connery, Bishop's
1993 Paul Chesser, Concordia
1992 Chris Konrad, Calgary
1991 Jason Rauhaus, Manitoba
1990 Chris Morris, Toronto
1989 Chris Gioskos, Ottawa
1988 Veron Stiliadis, Wilfrid Laurier
1987 Pierre Vercheval, Western
1986 Louie Godry, Guelph
1985 Mike Schad, Queen's
1984 Boyd Young, Ottawa
1983 Jim DeSilva, Carleton
1982 Peter Langford, Guelph
1981 Tony Grassa, StFX
1980 Scott McArthur, Calgary
1979 Jim Muller, Queen's
1978 Dave Willox, Alberta
1977 Dick Bakker, Queen's
1976 Gerry Inglis, Alberta
1975 Mark Pothier, Saint Mary's
1974 Bart Evans, Manitoba
PETER GORMAN TROPHY (Rookie of the Year)
2007 Liam Mahoney, Concordia
2006 Dalin Tollestrup, Calgary
2005 Martin Gagné, Montréal
2004 Kyle Williams, Bishop's
2003 Maxime Gagnier, Montréal
2002 Andy Fantuz, Western
2001 Jeremy Steeves, StFX
2000 Jean-Frédéric Tremblay, Laval
1999 Sébastien Roy, Mount Allison
1998 Kojo Aidoo, McMaster
1997 Paul Carty, StFX
1996 Jeff Johnson, York
1995 Éric Lapointe, Mount Allison
1994 Andre Arlain, StFX
1993 Jerome Pathon, Acadia
1992 Sean Reade, Western
1991 Dominic Zagari, Manitoba
1990 Bill Kubas, Wilfrid Laurier
1989 Chris Banton, Ottawa
1988 Grant Keaney, Mount Allison
1987 Dan Farthing, Saskatchewan
1986 Michael Soles, McGill
1985 Mark Brown, Carleton
1984 Jeff Funtasz, Alberta
1983 Paul Nastasiuk, Wilfrid Laurier
1982 Mike Fabilli, Ottawa
1981 Glenn Steele, UBC
1980 John Hutchinson, Mount Allison
1979 Joey Tynes, StFX
1978 John Lowe, Guelph
1977 Gord Goodwin, Calgary
1976 Jim Reid, Wilfrid Laurier
RUSS JACKSON AWARD (athletics, academics, community involvement)
2007 Clovis Langlois-Boucher, Sherbrooke
2006 Naim El-Far, Ottawa
2005 Dan Parker, Mount Allison
2004 Nathan Beveridge, UBC
2003 Curt McLellan, Queen's
2002 Lincoln Blumell, Calgary
2001 Josh Alexander, Wilfrid Laurier
2000 Carlo Panaro, Alberta
1999 Carlo Panaro, Alberta
1998 Jean-Philippe Darche, McGill
1997 Sam Stetsko, Alberta
1996 Sean O'Neill, Carleton
1995 Ted MacLean, Saint Mary's
1994 Steve Papp, McGill
1993 David Sykes, Saint Mary's
1992 David Sykes, Saint Mary's
1991 J.P. Veri, McGill
1990 J.P. Veri, McGill
1989 Jock Climie, Queen's
1988 Andrew Allison, Mount Allison
1987 Elio Geremia, Calgary
1986 Charlie Galunic, Queen's
