Elgersma earns MVP honours to headline quartet of Golden Hawk award winners
Burlington, Ont. – The gridiron was home to a number of impressive performances this year, and nowhere were the standouts more plentiful than with the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. Front and centre for the purple and gold was quarterback Taylor Elgersma, who not only headlines Laurier’s award-winning quartet, but the entirety of award winners from the 2023 Ontario University Athletics football season.
Larry Haylor Award (Most Valuable Player) – Taylor Elgersma, Wilfrid Laurier
It was a season to remember for Taylor Elgersma under center for the Wilfrid Laurier squad, as the Golden Hawks quarterback takes home the Larry Haylor Award as OUA most valuable player.
Tabbed by head coach Michael Faulds as one of the team’s best leaders, and a natural one at that, Elgersma helped spearhead an offence that scored the second-most points in the OUA (35.3 points per game) and topped the 40-point plateau three times. En route to pacing his Hawks to a 7-1 record, the kinesiology and physical education major made his mark through the air and on the ground.
He set a program record with 2,641 passing yards, which was also good for first in the conference, notching a league best 206 completions along the way. He threw for 18 touchdowns on the year, while adding six on the ground, finishing top-five in the OUA in both categories. Six of those aerial scores came in one afternoon against Guelph, tying a Laurier single-game record.
It wasn’t just quantity for the London, Ont. pivot; however, as he was as efficient with his play as the OUA has ever seen at the position. His 75.2% completion rate not only paced his provincial peers, but set a new record for the conference.
Elgersma becomes the sixth Golden Hawk, and first since Kurleigh Gittens Jr. in 2017, to claim MVP honours.
President’s Award (Outstanding Stand-Up Defensive Player) – Max Charbonneau, Ottawa
A senior season to remember for Max Charbonneau, the Ottawa Gee-Gees linebacker takes home the 2023 President’s Award as the OUA’s outstanding stand-up defensive player.
Despite missing time early last season and ultimately playing through a knee injury, the criminology major was still selected by the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers after earning a ticket to the national combine. Returning to the Garnet and Grey for a final season, however, Charbonneau showcases what being an elite tackler with outstanding consistency looks like from a middle linebacker.
A tackle-machine for the Gee-Gees this season, Charbonneau found himself atop the conference when it came to takedowns. The senior linebacker finished with 44 solo and 36 assisted tackles, good for 62.0 in total, which was second across the country. On a game-by-game basis, Charbonneau’s 7.8 tackles per contest also had him among the top three in the conference and nation.
Charbonneau also added a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and blocked kick as part of his award-winning season, becoming the first Gee-Gee to earn the award since 2017 (Jackson Bennett).
J.P. Metras Award (Lineman of the Year) – Tyson Hergott, Waterloo
A nightmare for the opposing offences to see lined up against them, Waterloo’s Tyson Hergott takes home the J.P. Metras Award as the OUA’s lineman of the year.
Hergott was a force to be reckoned with each time he stepped onto the gridiron, and his imposing presence proved pivotal in helping the Warriors get back into the postseason. The Waterloo, Ont. local did just about everything for Waterloo, which was highlighted by a mid-season stretch that saw him collect five sacks over two games.
Hergott’s innate ability to get to the quarterback and wreak havoc in the opposition’s backfield was chief among his personal success this season, as he ultimately finished with 11 sacks – second in the OUA – and 14 tackles for a combined loss of 103 yards. Those game-changing takedowns were part of his 38 total tackles on the year, including 30 of the solo variety. The third-year defensive lineman would round out his stat-stuffing season with a trio of forced fumbles, an interception, and two pass breakups.
Backed by a 2023 season that saw him set new career-bests across the board, the two-time Gary Boug Memorial Football Excellence Award recipient joins a list of three other Warriors to win the J.P. Metras Award, and is the first to do so for the black and gold since 2006.
Norm Marshall Award (Rookie of the Year) – Ethan Gregorcic, Wilfrid Laurier
The Laurier defence has a long list of impactful players to its name, and newcomer Ethan Gregorcic is quickly making a case to be added to it, claiming the Norm Marshall Award as the conference’s rookie of the year for the 2023 season.
Without skipping a beat in his foray to the varsity gridiron, Gregorcic amassed 34 total tackles across his eight games. That immediate presence put him in third on the team in that category and within the top-20 in the OUA. He would also add on 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one pass breakup, and a pair of interceptions.
His most impactful play of the season, in fact, came via one of those two picks, when he corralled a pass against Carleton in Week 2 and ran it back 55 yards to set up the eventual game-winning touchdown. For his collective efforts in that victory over the Ravens, the Courtice, Ont. native was named the OUA’s defensive player of the week and made it clear early in his varsity tenure that he would be a consistent contributor to the Hawks squad.
After giving him the reins as a starter out of the gate, Laurier was rewarded by seeing Gregorcic win the program’s 11th rookie of the year selection and first in over two decades (Ryan Pyear, 2001).
Russ Jackson Award – Alex Cheng, McMaster Marauders
For a second consecutive year, McMaster defensive tackle Alex Cheng has been named recipient of the Russ Jackson Award for the OUA.
On the field, the London, Ont. local played in all eight games for the Marauders this season. In his second year of eligibility, the defensive tackle totaled 15.5 tackles, including nine solo efforts, and also recorded one fumble recovery.
In the classroom, the fourth-year commerce student has been nothing short of impressive. He holds a perfect 12.0 GPA and has been the recipient of many awards and scholarships over his time at McMaster. Cheng is a 2023-24 recipient of the Deloitte Scholarship, awarded to students enrolled in the Honours Commerce program who, in the judgment of the Faculty of Business, have achieved notable standing and demonstrated qualities of leadership at McMaster or in the community. He is also the winner of the KPMG Scholarship which is awarded to one single full-time student in the DeGroote School of Business that demonstrates outstanding academic achievement, an interest in accounting and a commitment to volunteerism.
Beyond the field and classroom, Cheng does all he can to give back to his community. He is the head academic athletic advisor for the McMaster football team, spearheading academic support programs to enhance study habits and improve the academic performance of his teammates. Cheng is also the executive of community outreach for McMaster Athletes Care (MAC), a role in which he is responsible for identifying and cultivating partnerships with external stakeholders, including local hospitals and the Boys and Girls Club. He also coordinates with members of the Athletics and Recreation Department to plan and execute outreach trips to ensure Marauder student-athletes engage with their local community.
As a big supporter of women’s football at the university level, the defensive tackle joined the McMaster Women’s Flag Football bench staff in the role of defensive line coach in 2022 where he helped lead the team to a provincial final and developed two all-conference defensive linewomen.
Champion of EDI Award – Isaiah Johns, Windsor
Awarded annually to an individual who has demonstrated work in supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts both on and off campus, Windsor’s Isaiah Johns has best exhibited this practice since his time as a member of Lancer football, earning him the 2023 Champion of EDI Award.
The Lancers defensive secondary coach and defensive recruiting assistant has done a great deal to contribute to his community beyond the gridiron. For the past nearly two years, Johns has been a Greater Ontario Black Experience Pillar Lead through TD, as well as a diversity and inclusion specialist therein. Last summer, Johns represented TD and the Windsor football team at the Emancipation Celebration at Fogolar Furlan, while also being a part of Black History Month presentations.
A linebacker coach and co-special teams coordinator with Team Ontario’s U16 team, Johns has also presented for Rapha Youth Services on financial literacy on behalf of TD and was involved in a math competition for a local youth group.
Johns becomes the second ever recipient of the Champion of EDI Award, following its introduction a year ago.
David ‘Tuffy’ Knight Award (Coach of the Year) – Michael Faulds, Wilfrid Laurier
As star-studded a season as it was on the gridiron for Laurier, it was just as special on the sidelines, with Michael Faulds being tabbed as the 2023 David ‘Tuffy’ Knight Award winner as coach of the year.
Guiding the Hawks to their best record since 2007, Faulds saw his squad collect seven wins on the year, with that undefeated stretch heading into the final week marking their best start since 2005. Whether basing it off of individual success, wherein he coached his players to MVP and rookie of the year honours, as well as 11 all-star selections, or collectively, with his Hawks ranking second in points scored and third in points allowed, Faulds’ impact on the team is significant.
A former Yates Cup champion himself on the sidelines (2016) and on the field (2007, 2008), the decorated bench boss becomes a multi-time coach of the year. Having previously won the David ‘Tuffy’ Knight Award in Laurier’s championship season, his 2023 victory marks the eighth in program history.
Volunteer Coach of the Year – Zach Scotto, Wilfrid Laurier
Laurier’s fourth major award winner of the season, Zach Scotto’s impact from the sidelines has helped him take home volunteer coach of the year recognition for 2023.
Scotto is a full-time teacher in Kitchener/Waterloo, but still manages to put in full-time hours with Laurier football every day. The offensive line coach and academic tracking coach, who has been with the program since 2016, takes the time to grade every lineman from both the dress and non-dress roster, in every rep they take in practice and games. This season, in particular, his offensive line corps sparked the OUA’s sixth-best rushing attack (including a fourth-best 13 rushing touchdowns) and he saw offensive tackle Cooper Hamilton collect all-star status.
Off the field, the former Hawks player himself is also instrumental in the players’ academic success, running Laurier’s football study halls and tracking the grades of all the players.
Scotto joins fellow Laurier coach Ron VanMoerkerke (2009) as the program’s lone recipients of the OUA award.
Ken Green Officials Award of Merit – Kevin Baird
In his 30th year of officiating overall, Kevin Baird, who is no stranger to the award, has been named the 2023 Ken Green Officials Award of Merit recipient.
Known for his straight-forward, no nonsense approach to officiating, Baird has earned the respect of players, coaches, and fellow officials alike, which has helped him to be a part of numerous Yates Cups, as well as have the role of umpire in the 2017 Vanier Cup and head referee in the 2022 Mitchell Bowl.
The president of the Ontario University Football Officials Association, president of the Lakeshore Football Officials Association, and the referee-in-chief of the Northern Football Conference strives to work collaboratively with officials, coaches, athletes, and OUA staff, and has done so throughout his 13 years officiating football in the conference.
Having most recently won the award in 2019, Baird continues to be committed to ensuring a safe and inclusive game environment for the student-athlete.
The complete list of 2023 OUA football award winners is as follows:
Larry Haylor Award (Most Valuable Player) – Taylor Elgersma, Wilfrid Laurier
President’s Award (Outstanding Stand-Up Defensive Player) – Max Charbonneau, Ottawa
J.P. Metras Award (Lineman of the Year) – Tyson Hergott, Waterloo
Norm Marshall Award (Rookie of the Year) – Ethan Gregorcic, Wilfrid Laurier
Russ Jackson Award – Alex Cheng, McMaster Marauders
Champion of EDI Award – Isaiah Johns, Windsor
David ‘Tuffy’ Knight Award (Coach of the Year) – Michael Faulds, Wilfrid Laurier
Volunteer Coach of the Year – Zach Scotto, Wilfrid Laurier
Ken Green Officials Award of Merit – Kevin Baird
