Edwards headlines trio of Western winners with Larry Haylor MVP award

Burlington, Ont. – Keon Edwards is on a trajectory reserved for only the greatest football players in Ontario University Athletics history. Edwards, a star third-year running back and anchor of the backfield for the undefeated Western Mustangs, has joined elite company by securing the conference's Larry Haylor Award as the most valuable player, headlining the major award winners from the 2022 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) football season.

Larry Haylor Award (Most Valuable Player) – Keon Edwards, Western Mustangs



Edwards showed unlimited potential in his collegiate debut last season. The Toronto, Ont. product was an OUA first team all-star, a second team all-Canadian, and the Mustangs' team MVP as Western won both the Yates Cup and a national championship. In 2022, Edwards managed to raise the bar.

He had an unforgettable season as a focal point of Western's top-ranked offence, rushing the ball 130 times for an OUA-best 1,032 yards (7.9 yards per carry), with nine rushing touchdowns in eight games played. Those numbers enabled the Kings College student to become the 15th league MVP produced by the historic Western program.

Edwards exceeded the 100-yard mark in each of his eight games. He also scored multiple touchdowns in three of them, including two scores to go along with a season-high 161 yards on just 15 carries in a 56-21 road win over the Toronto Varsity Blues on October 7th. But those MVP numbers still don't show what Edwards is truly capable of on a football field.

A team-first player, the star running back was happy to spread the wealth and share carries with teammates, as he is joined by fellow Mustang Edouard Wanadi (105.4 YPG) in the conference's top-five rushing ranks.

With the OUA's MVP award recently renamed in honour of the late Western coaching icon, it seems only fitting that a member of the Mustangs is the first to receive the newly named accolade.

President's Award (Outstanding Stand-Up Defensive Player) – Daniel Valente Jr., Western Mustangs



Edwards helped make the Mustangs' offence hard to stop, but there was hardly a lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball.

Fifth-year free safety Daniel Valente Jr is a leader on the Western defence and closes his career as the recipient of the OUA's Outstanding Stand-Up Defensive Player Award. The London, Ont. native and Kings College student was a ball hawk in 2022, leading the conference with five interceptions. Valente Jr. was ready to go from the very first snap of the season, registering three of those picks in Western's 34-11 Week 1 win over the Guelph Gryphons.

The former first team all-star and first team all-Canadian also led the OUA in interception yards (116), while adding 16 tackles and a sack for the London squad.

He has a reputation as a big-game player having won the Bruce Coulter Award as the defensive player of the game at the 2021 Vanier Cup. Valente Jr is the eighth Western player to receive the OUA's President's Award.

J.P. Metras Award (Lineman of the Year) – Silas Hubert, Queen's Gaels



Down the 401 in Kingston, a young member of the Queen's Gaels separated himself from other OUA defensive standouts.

Second-year defensive end Silas Hubert was a source of frustration for league quarterbacks and his 2022 performances have earned him the league's J.P. Metras Award as the conference's lineman of the year. An environmental studies student from Hastings, Ont., Silas emerged as a pivotal piece of the Queen's defence with an uncanny ability to disrupt opposing offenses. He had limited opportunities as a rookie in 2021, but the production came this year as Silas racked up six sacks, tying him for the second-highest total by any OUA defender. He also added 22 tackles, including eight for losses.

Wearing the number 99 like his old teammate and 2021 OUA sack leader Anthony Federico, Silas becomes the eighth player in Queen's history to win the Lineman of the Year Award.

Norm Marshall Award (Rookie of the Year) – Isaiah Smith, Guelph Gryphons



The first year of a student-athlete's collegiate career can be overwhelming, but Guelph Gryphons running back Isaiah Smith thrived in navigating his debut OUA season, all while attending classes as a bio-medical student.

Smith is a deserving recipient of the Norm Marshall Award for the league's top rookie after posting a standout campaign where he ran the ball 85 times for 495 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage total ranked the Burlington, Ont. local eighth in the conference in that stat. He managed to run for 100-plus yards in three of his seven games played, the highlight coming in a September 5th matchup with the Windsor Lancers. In that Week 2 matchup, Smith posted 120 yards on 13 carries with two scores, one of which came on a 67-yard burst to the end zone.

A high school standout in Burlington, and former member of both the Burlington Stampeders and Team Ontario, Smith is already fulfilling his immense potential as a recently turned 19-year-old true freshman. He is the first Gryphon to win the award since Nick FitzGibbon in 2006 and the fourth player ever in school history.

Russ Jackson Award Nominee – Alex Cheng, McMaster Marauders



The university football environment demands strength and resilience, both on the field and beyond. In 2022, McMaster Marauders' defensive tackle Alex Cheng stood out among peers with his ability to perform athletically, as well as in the classroom and in the community.

That balance has made Cheng the league's nominee for the prestigious Russ Jackson Award given to the U SPORTS player who best exemplifies the attributes of academic achievement, football skill, and citizenship. The commerce student from London, Ont., in just his first year of football eligibility, performed like a player well beyond his years. Cheng emerged as a fixture on McMaster's defensive line, finishing the year with 14.5 tackles, including nine solo efforts. But his work in school is even more impressive.

Cheng is an A+ student, with a perfect 12.0 GPA in a demanding academic program. He is the recipient of 14 awards in his memorable tenure at the Hamilton institution, one being the Class of '44 Award given to a student entering their penultimate year, who has attained the highest fall-winter average across all programs at the university. Cheng is also a two-time winner of the Provost's Honour Roll Medal given to students with a 12.0 average over 30 units in a single academic year and received the school's President's Award in 2020-21.

The time required to maintain that academic excellence hasn't stopped him from giving back. Cheng is a student-athlete mentor at McMaster, helping first-year Marauders, in addition to his role as academic mentor on the football team, where he teaches teammates strong study habits. He is also the chair of McMaster's Asian and Pacific Islander (API) athletes where he is responsible for highlighting and promoting the achievements of API athletes, as well as creating opportunities to share their stories. Cheng is a selfless individual. He showed genuine concern for his community by volunteering at the Haldimand-Norfolk COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

Cheng is the third McMaster player to receive the Russ Jackson Award nomination.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award – Darrell Adams, Waterloo Warriors



The greatest mentors can make a positive impact in numerous ways. Waterloo Warriors assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Darrell Adams is the perfect example. The veteran coach and former Villanova University star from Mississauga, Ont. gets the best out of his players. But his work off the field has made a lasting difference, earning him the OUA's inaugural Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Award.

Adams has been with the Warriors program for seven seasons and in addition to his dual coaching roles, he has taken on the challenge of recruiting coordinator. The football duties are significant, but they are just part of Adams' responsibilities. The husband and father of two children does tireless work on the important topic of EDI. He is a firm believer that education, communication, and action can lead to an anti-racist approach regarding ideas and policies to shape a better future. The former head strength coach and assistant defensive line coach for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats prioritized participating in the CFL's Diversity in Sport program held last June. He is also a leader on the University of Waterloo campus, having co-founded the group named The Alliance in 2020. Adams directs and leads all of the group's monthly meetings.

Adams has worked diligently to change the existing narrative on race. He was a presenter at the first-ever Anti-Racism Symposium held at McMaster University, as well as a scheduled panelist at the upcoming Diversity is Strength Conversation on Vanier Cup Weekend. He is currently a mentor coach for the Waterloo Black Apprentice Coach program and co-developed last year's OUA Football "We Are One United Against Racism" campaign. A member of the OUA's EDI committee in 2021, Adams has membership in the Waterloo Black Faculty Collective, the Black Canadian Coaches Association, and the Black Football Coaches of Canada groups.

While developing Waterloo's football players is a priority, Adams' greater vision is to make the world a better place through action.

David 'Tuffy' Knight Award (Coach of the Year) – Greg Marshall, Western Mustangs



Greg Marshall's name has been synonymous with success on the football field for a long time.

The legendary head coach has added another piece of hardware to an already well-stocked trophy case with his eighth David "Tuffy" Knight Award as OUA coach of the year. After winning both the Yates Cup and Vanier Cup last year, Marshall's Western squad was a force again in 2022. The team led the conference in both offence (45 points scored per game) and defence (14.4 points allowed per game), a balance that translated to another perfect 8-0 season with the London, Ont. native at the helm. That dominance on both sides of the ball also helped 14 of Marshall's players collect all-star honours this season, to go along with the pair of aforementioned award winners, and allowed his team to hold steady atop the national rankings throughout yet another unblemished regular season for the legendary coach and program.

Of Marshall's now eight coach of the year selections, six of them have come during his time at Western, including back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019, and on three occasions, he has followed up the provincial recognition with the top coaching nod across U SPORTS as well.

Volunteer Coach of the Year – Mike Circelli, Windsor Lancers



The 2022 edition of the Windsor Lancers returned to the OUA postseason for the first time in eight years, and defensive line coach Mike Circelli was an inspirational figure on that journey.

Circelli, a retired teacher from London, Ont., is this year's recipient of the Volunteer Coach of the Year Award. Circelli is a legend in Ontario football circles due to his unwavering commitment to developing the sport at a variety of levels. His high school coaching career began in London almost 40 years ago. He won multiple city and OFSAA championships at Catholic Central High, while also serving as the league commissioner and face of Forest City Football, among other programs.

A certified Level 3 coach, Circelli was a long-time contributor to the Western Mustangs team from 2007 to 2015, and in 2019, he joined the Windsor program to start a new chapter in his illustrious career. Despite his volunteer status, Circelli made regular appearances at team functions, practices, and meetings during the lost 2020 season, and with his guidance, the team's growth continued into this season, culminating in a well-earned playoff berth.

Circelli's love of the game and commitment to excellence has always been evident to those players and colleagues around him for the past four decades, and he becomes the first member of the Lancers program to receive the award.

Ken Green Officials Award of Merit – Ben Chapdelaine



Ben Chapdelaine always knew his way around a football field. In 2001, Chapdelaine was recognized as the best university player in the country when he won the prestigious Hec Crighton Award for quarterbacking the McMaster Marauders to an OUA championship. Twenty-one years later, the Hamilton, Ont. resident receives another honour – the Ken Green Officials Award of Merit.

Chapdelaine is known for his incredible football acumen, so it made sense that he put his vast knowledge to use as an official. That journey began in 2013 when he joined the Hamilton Football Officials Association (HFOA). Two years later, he was appointed to the HFOA Executive. Chapdelaine progressed through the ranks quickly and debuted as an OUA official in 2018.

In the four years since, he has been rewarded for his work with numerous playoff assignments, including a role in the 2021 Yates Cup. Chapdelaine also participated in the CFL's prospect development program last summer, officiating a CFL exhibition game and two more regular season matchups. His understanding of the game is complemented by a calm, common-sense approach that both players and coaches across the OUA appreciate.

Chapdelaine is the current Director, Advancement & Communications at Hamilton's Hillfield Strathallan College, while also serving as the HFOA Vice President. He is a proud husband and father of two kids.

The complete list of 2022 OUA football award winners is as follows:

Larry Haylor Award (Most Valuable Player) – Keon Edwards, Western Mustangs
President's Award (Outstanding Stand-Up Defensive Player) – Daniel Valente Jr., Western Mustangs
J.P. Metras Award (Lineman of the Year) – Silas Hubert, Queen's Gaels
Norm Marshall Award (Rookie of the Year) – Isaiah Smith, Guelph Gryphons
Russ Jackson Award Nominee – Alex Cheng, McMaster Marauders
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award – Darrell Adams, Waterloo Warriors
David 'Tuffy' Knight Award (Coach of the Year) – Greg Marshall, Western Mustangs
Volunteer Coach of the Year – Mike Circelli, Windsor Lancers
Ken Green Officials Award of Merit – Ben Chapdelaine