KINGSTON, Ont. (March 30, 2015) - Queen's football head coach
Pat Sheahan is pleased to announce the signing of 17 top recruits to the Gaels football program for 2015.
Joining Queen's are linebacker Ron Jones (Niagara Falls, Ont.), receiver Niclas Bembenek (Winnipeg), receiver Jeremy Pendergast (Kingston, Ont.), linebacker Philippe Archambault (Montreal), receiver Marco Aref (Ancaster, Ont.), defensive back Ejaz Causer (Mississauga, Ont.), quarterback Kyle Gouveia (Brampton, Ont.), defensive back/receiver Cole Haggar (Manotick, Ont.), receiver Louis Christophe Hebert (Quebec City), defensive back Paul Henning (Kitchener, Ont.), defensive back Zackary Kealy (Almonte, Ont.), receiver Connor McQuilkin (Burlington, Ont.), receiver Chris Osei Kusi (Brampton, Ont.), running back Jake Puskas (Thunder Bay, Ont.), fullback Marquis Richards (Brampton, Ont.), linebacker Phil Stratton (Port Colborne, Ont.) and running back Tyler Woods (Kitchener, Ont.).
On April 20 another recruit signed his intent as linebacker Ron Jones (Niagara Falls, Ont.) will join the Gaels.
"We understand that this is one of the biggest decisions that these young men have made in their lives," said head coach
Pat Sheahan as the players were introduced. "We think it's the best possible choice that they could make for themselves at this particular time. I'm very excited about the future of Queen's football we have added some outstanding players and some great student-athletes. When you make the decision to come to Queen's it's because you want to be a somebody. I expect everyone to not only excel as athletes but I expect some of you to also go on and do great things in the classroom and build yourselves great lives moving forward."
See below for a detailed look at what these athletes have accomplished in their careers thus far.
The Queen's football Gaels begin their regular season when they welcome the Carleton Ravens to Kingston on Sunday August 30, 2015. Kick-off is set for 1pm at Richardson Stadium, for ticket info visit www.gogaelsgo.com/tickets.
// Signees (Recruit Signing Day)
| PHILIPPE ARCHAMBAULT // LB |
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| Awards and achievements: Number 40 ranked prospect in 2015 class by Canada Football Chat... Played for National Championship Team Quebec squad in 2013 |
| Sheahan's Take: Philippe is a tremendous player with a great combination of size and speed. He is a very smart and cerebral player and will be a great addition to our line backing core. |
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Back to top | MARCO AREF // REC |
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| Awards and achievements: Gold medalist and captain with Team Ontario in 2014... Back to back OFC Champion with Hamilton Hurricanes |
| Sheahan's Take: We hope that he will continue his tradition of winning here at Queen's for the foreseeable future as he enters into the Faculty of Arts & Science. |
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Back to top | EJAZ CAUSER // DB |
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| Awards and achievements: Played defensive back for back to back ROPSSA and OFSAA champion teams... Joins former teammates at Lorne Park Justin Bowman, D'Antal Sampson and Adam Black. |
| Sheahan's Take: Ejaz is continuing a great connection we have with Lorne Park Secondary in Mississauga. He is fast and plays with great instincts. We are excited to see what he can add to our young secondary this fall. |
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Back to top | KYLE GOUVEIA // QB |
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| Awards and achievements: Gold with team Ontario in 2015 Canada Cup...Played for Brampton Bulldogs of OVFL. |
Sheahan's Take: He has a great sense for the game and he has proved that at both the OVFL level with the Bulldogs as well as the Provincial Level with team Ontario. He comes to Queen's with a 95% to study Science.
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Back to top | COLE HAGGAR // DB/REC |
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| Awards and achievements: Played in AIA all-star game in Ottawa last spring... Attended Queen's elite football camp this past summer. |
| Sheahan's Take: . Cole is an extremely versatile athlete and played multiple positions on either side of the ball this season. |
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| LOUIS CHRISTOPHE HEBERT // REC |
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| Awards and achievements: Played with Upper Canada College and has been an all-star at every level. |
Sheahan's Take: He is an outstanding student with a 95% average coming out of high school and he is here at Queen's to join the faculty of Commerce. An outstanding young man and a great addition to our receiving core.
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| PAUL HENNING // DB |
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| Awards and achievements: Member of 2013 Team Ontario and joins former teammate Mitchel Henselwood at Queen's |
| Sheahan's Take: Paul is an extremely versatile DB with a very high football IQ. He is a true Queen's man and is already looking ahead at possibly pursuing a career in Medicine. We are extremely happy to welcome him into our Queen's Family. |
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Back to top | ZACKARY KEALY // DB |
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| Awards and achievements: Joins former teammate Wes Man at Queen's... 2014 undefeated OVFL champions with Myers Ryders... Can play both offence and defence. |
| Sheahan's Take: Zack is a very versatile athlete and could play on either side of the ball. We are very pleased to welcome him to our team. |
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| CONNOR MCQUILKIN // REC |
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| Awards and achievements: Versatile athlete who can play both REC & DB... Standout on 2013 Team Ontario unit in New Brunswick... Played high school with Corpus Christi and played with Burlington Stampeders. |
| Sheahan's Take: Connor is an outstanding young athlete who excels at the REC & DB position. We are familiar with the McQuilkin family as he is here to join big brother Luke, heading into his senior year! |
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| CHRIS OSEI KUSI // REC |
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| Awards and achievements: Top 100 receiver in the 2015 recruiting class on Canada Football Chat... OVFL All-Star with Brampton Bulldogs.... Member of 2014 National Championship team Ontario unit. |
| Sheahan's Take: An elite receiver who can line up at any position on the field. He is fast, explosive, powerful and we expect big things from him as he enters Queen's to study Economics in the Faculty of Arts. |
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Back to top| JEREMY PENDERGAST // REC |
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| Awards and achievements: Older brother Matt Pendergast plays for Queen's... Played high school with Holy Cross CSS here in Kingston. |
| Sheahan's Take: Jeremy is an outstanding student-athlete and joins his brother on the team next year after his father and uncle before them. A top recruit from the Kingston area and we are excited to have him. |
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| JAKE PUSKAS // RB |
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| Awards and achievements: Member of first ever championship team to capture NWASSA at St. Ignatius... Member of 2014 gold medal team Ontario squad. |
| Sheahan's Take: Jake is a versatile back who attended our Elite Passing Camp the past two summers. He is an outstanding student athlete and we look forward to having him. |
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| MARQUIS RICHARDS // FB |
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| Awards and achievements: Played for Brampton Bulldogs... Captain and gold medalist with team Ontario in 2014... Member of 2013 team Ontario bronze medal unit... A captain for team Canada and team Ontario Selects that defeated USA in 2015. |
| Sheahan's Take: An outstanding student and leader who is here to study Science on his way to become a Doctor. |
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Back to top | PHIL STRATTON // LB |
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| Awards and achievements: 2012 Golden Horseshoe champion... Regional All-Star... 2x OFC defensive player of the week. |
| Sheahan's Take: Phil is a tough, downhill, hardnosed line backer. Phil fill brings a great deal of intensity to the game and we are happy to have him join our team. |
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| TYLER WOODS // RB |
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| Awards and achievements: Running back with Cambridge Lions... Played running back with Resurrection CSS in Kitchener. |
| Sheahan's Take: Tyler is a feisty young talent out of the Cambridge area. He has been an outstanding young back at the high school level. He is entering into the Faculty of Arts and we are very happy to have him join our team. |
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| RON JONES // LB |
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| Awards and achievements: Plays with Niagara Spears of OVFL... Older brother Andrew Jones currently plays for the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL and played for the McMaster Marauders in the OUA. |
| Sheahan's Take: As a player he is exactly the kind of hybrid linebacker that we were looking for in this years recruiting class. He very much has the persona of a linebacker who is very physical and gets after people. The other reason we were really attracted to Ron is that he is also a good cover person. |
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| NICLAS BEMBENEK // REC |
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| Awards and achievements: Played five years with Winnipeg Rifles of the Canadian Junior Football League... 2014 Team Captain and Prairie Football Conference All-Star... Caught six passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns in a game against Saskatoon. |
| Sheahan's Take: We are excited to have Niclas on board as he is a big body that can bring a lot to the table with his athleticism. |
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| Last Name | First Name | Hometown | Prov. | Program | Position | Height | Weight | High School |
| Archambault | Philippe | Montreal | Que. | Arts | LB | 6'1 | 205 | Upper Canada College |
| Aref | Marco | Ancaster | Ont. | Arts | REC | 5'10 | 180 | Bishop Tonnos Catholic SS |
| Bembenek | Niclas | Winnipeg | Man. | Kinesiology | REC | 6'1 | 205 | Vincent Massey HS |
| Causer | Ejaz | Mississauga | Ont. | Kinesiology | DB | 5'10 | 180 | Lorne Park SS |
| Gouveia | Kyle | Brampton | Ont. | Science | QB | 6'0 | 190 | St Roch Catholic SS |
| Haggar | Cole | Manotick (Ottawa) | Ont. | Con. Education | DB/REC | 6'1 | 200 | St Marks HS |
| Hebert | Louis Christophe | Quebec City | Que. | Commerce | REC | 6'2 | 200 | Upper Canada College |
| Henning | Paul | Kitchener | Ont. | Kinesiology | DB | 5'10 | 170 | Resurrection SS |
| Jones | Ron | Niagara Falls | Ont. | Sociology | LB | 6'0 | 200 | Saint Michael CHS |
| Kealy | Zackary | Almonte | Ont. | Physical Education | DB | 6'0 | 180 | Almonte & District HS |
| McQuilkin | Connor | Burlington | Ont. | Arts | REC | 6'1 | 185 | Corpus Christi SS |
| Osei Kusi | Chris | Brampton | Ont. | Arts | REC | 6'2 | 195 | Cardinal Ambrozic SS |
| Pendergast | Jeremy | Kingston | Ont. | Engineering | REC | 6'4 | 200 | Holy Cross Cath SS |
| Puskas | Jake | Thunder Bay | Ont. | Science | RB | 6'1 | 205 | St Ignatius HS |
| Richards | Marquis | Brampton | Ont. | Science | FB | 5'10 | 230 | St Thomas Villanova College |
| Stratton | Phil | Port Colborne | Ont. | Arts | LB | 6'1 | 210 | Lakeshore HS |
| Woods | Tyler | Kitchener | Ont. | Arts | RB | 5'9 | 190 | Resurrection SS |
