OUA Announces 2015 Football All-Rookies

BURLINGTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is excited to announce those named 2015 OUA Football All-Rookies.

The Laurier Golden Hawks turned some heads this season, advancing to the Yates Cup semifinal, for the first time since 2010 with a roster that features four all-rookie selections.  Defensive lineman Trevaughan James (Whitby, Ont.), linebacker Matt Williams (Ajax, Ont.), defensive back Scott Hutter (London, Ont.) and receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. (Ottawa, Ont.) have all been named to the squad following fantastic freshman campaigns. 

Joining the Golden Hawks with four all-rookies on their team this season is the York Lions.  Following one of the most successful offseason recruiting periods in program history, York will continue to build around their all-rookie selections.  Running back Jesse Amankwaa (Etobicoke, Ont.), a pair of freshman receivers Nathaniel Pinto (Toronto, Ont.) and Colton Hunchak (Calgary, Alta.) and linebacker Jakob Butler (Sherwood Park, Alta.) represent the Lions.

The defending Yates Cup champion McMaster Marauders find themselves competing into November year-in and year-out, thanks to strong recruiting and athlete development.  After losing their starting quarterback from a year ago and most of their secondary, they were once again right in the thick of the "Quest for the Cup" this year.  While the season might not have ended the way most Marauders had envisioned it, the team from the Steel City still showcases three all-rookies this season in running back Jordan Lyons (Burlington, Ont.), cornerback Robbie Yochim (Kelowna, BC) and half back Adam Poole (Brampton, Ont.).

It was a retooling year for a young Windsor Lancers squad that finished the regular season 2-6.  Despite some growing pains on the field, the not-so-distant future looks bright for the Lancers as they have three players named OUA all-rookies.  Windsor hopes they've found the heir to Austin Kennedy's throne in quarterback Liam Putt (Caledonia, Ont.) after Putt was named an all-rookie following a successful first season.  Joining Putt as all-rookies are offensive lineman Drew Desjarlais (Belle River, Ont.) and free safety Spencer Trinier (Windsor, Ont.).

With new head coach Chris Bertoia at the helm, the Waterloo Warriors are focused on the future.  From the first snap of the ball to their last possession, Bertoia and his staff continued to develop a young Waterloo team all season long.  As a result, offensive tackle Jesse Gibbon (Hamilton, Ont.) and centre Kyle Boismier (London, Ont.) have been selected to represent the black and gold as all-rookies.

In just their third season back in the league, the young Carleton Ravens not only qualified for the postseason but won their first playoff game since 1986.  On a roster that features a majority of third-year starters, defensive back Guillaume Caron (Saint-Joseph-Du-Lac, Que.) and receiver Phil Iloki (Ottawa, Ont.) are a pair of high-flying Ravens all-rookies.  Caron provided the defence with 23.5 tackles and was tied for a team-high of three sacks. Iloki finished fourth in team receptions as he compiled fifteen catches in just six regular season games.  Caron and Iloki find themselves in pretty good company amongst their Ravens teammates, as 2014 all-stars, defensive back Tunde Adeleke and receiver Nate Behar, were both also named all-rookies in their first seasons in OUA.

Not to be outdone in the nation's capital, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees have a pair of all-rookies of their own in the stable.  Offensive tackle Cole Beacock (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) and defensive back Cody Cranston (Winnipeg, MN) will represent the garnet and grey this year, in a season which saw the Gee-Gees go 3-5 and narrowly miss out on the postseason.

For the second time in two seasons, the Guelph Gryphons are off to the 108^th Yates Cup, presented by Investors Group and the performances of a pair of all-rookies this season helped them get there.  Linebacker Job Reinhart (Guelph, Ont.) and defensive back Elijah Walker (Brampton, Ont.) were members of a Gryphons defensive unit that only allowed 19.9 points against per game and 125 rushing yards during the regular season.

Receiver Chris Osei-Kusi (Brampton, Ont.) was all over the field for the Queen's Gaels this year and saw snaps on both sides of the ball while also returning kicks.  For his efforts, the first year arts major from Brampton has been recognized as an OUA all-rookie.

From the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, linebacker Matthew Renaud (Ottawa, Ont.) has been named an all-rookie after finishing third on the Blues with 38 tackles.  Renaud, a first-year life science major, had 31 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles and 1.5 sacks while appearing in all eight games for the Blues.

You'd be hard pressed to find another team in CIS with as much depth at the running back position as the Western Mustangs.  Despite being fourth on the depth chart behind 2014 all-rookie Alex Taylor, Yannick Harou and Adam Sinclair, all-rookie running back Cedric Joseph (Montreal, Que.) announced his arrival into OUA in a big way this season, rushing for 399 yards and four touchdowns.

The Norm Marshall Award, presented to the OUA Rookie of the Year, will be presented on Thursday, Nov. 12 at the 2015 OUA Football Major Awards and Yates Cup press conference. 

2015 OUA ALL-ROOKIES

Pos. - Athlete - University - Hometown - Program

Offence

QB - Liam Putt - Windsor - Caledonia, Ont. - Criminology
RB - Jordan Lyons - McMaster - Burlington, Ont. - Social Sciences
RB - Cedric Joseph - Western - Montreal, Que. - King's College
RB - Jesse Amankwaa - York - Etobicoke, Ont. - Health & Society
REC - Kurleigh Gittens Jr. - Laurier - Ottawa, Ont. - Sociology
REC - Phil Iloki - Carleton - Ottawa, Ont. - Law
REC - Nathaniel Pinto - York - Toronto, Ont. - Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
REC - Colton Hunchak - York - Calgary, Alta. - Psychology
REC - Chris Osei-Kusi - Queen's - Brampton, Ont. - Arts
OT - Jesse Gibbon - Waterloo - Hamilton, Ont. - Environmental Management
OT - Cole Beacock - Ottawa - Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. - Biomedical Mechanical Engineering
OL - Drew Desjarlais - Windsor - Belle River, Ont. - Criminology
C - Kyle Boismier - Waterloo - London, Ont. - Health Studies

Defence

DL - Trevaughan James - Laurier - Whitby, Ont. - Kinesiology/Physical Education
LB - Jakob Butler - York - Sherwood Park, Alta. - Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
LB - Matt Williams - Laurier - Pincourt, Que. - Business Admin.
LB - Job Reinhart - Guelph - Guelph, Ont. - Landscape Architecture
LB - Matthew Renaud - Toronto - Ajax, Ont. - Kinesiology/Physical Education
FS - Spencer Trinier - Windsor - Windsor, Ont. - Business Co-op
HB - Adam Poole - McMaster - Brampton, Ont. - Humanities
DB - Guillaume Caron - Carleton - Saint-Joseph-Du-Lac, Que. - Criminology
DB - Cody Cranston - Ottawa - Winnipeg, MN - Commerce
DB - Scott Hutter - Laurier - London, Ont. - Enviro Std.
DB - Elijah Walker - Guelph - Brampton, Ont. - Arts
DB - Robbie Yochim - McMaster - Kelowna, BC - Social Sciences