2013 Atlantic University Sport football all-stars announced

(HALIFAX, N.S.) - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2013 football all-stars as selected by the conference's four head coaches following regular season play.

The 2011 and 2012 AUS champion Acadia Axemen (3-5, 0-1 playoffs) lead the list of all-conference selections announced today, claiming a total of 10 all-star positions despite a third-place finish this season.

Facing a 1-4 record at the beginning of October, the Mount Allison Mounties (4-4, 1-0 playoffs) fought their way back to a second-place finish with four consecutive wins, including a 19-10 victory over Acadia in the AUS semi-final. Mount Allison student-athletes account for eight players on this year's all-star team.

Finishing the season in first place and hosting this weekend's Subway AUS Loney Bowl championship final, Saint Mary's (5-3) boasts five Huskies named to the all-star squad this season, while four members of the fourth-place StFX X-Men (3-5) earned the honour.  

Leading the list of Axemen named to the squad is fifth-year wide receiver Taylor Renaud of Winnipeg, Man. Named to the AUS all-star squad for the third consecutive year, Renaud led the conference in receiving this season with 44 receptions for 548 yards.

After earning AUS rookie of the year honours last year, second-year Acadia running back Thomas Troop (Alliston, Ont.) was named to this year's all-star team. He was joined by fourth-year inside receiver Andrew Healy (Bedford, N.S.), fourth-year tackle James Young (Ottawa, Ont.) and second-year guard Chris Fanning (Ottawa, Ont.), all of the Axemen.

Also earning all-star honours for Acadia were defensive backs Cam Wade and Brett Backman. A fifth-year player from Moncton, N.B, this is the fourth consecutive year Wade has been named to the AUS all-star squad. This season, Wade recorded 20.5 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Backman, for his part, posted 31 tackles this season, 27 of which were solo tackles. He also had a league-leading four interceptions which returned for 150 total yards.  

Third-year defensive end Jesse St. James (Pincourt, Que.) and fourth-year defensive tackle Kirby Fletcher (Grimshaw, Alta.) joined the list of Axemen all-stars. St. James posted a league-leading 10 sacks this season.

Lastly for Acadia, third-year place kicker Ryan Begin (Orleans, Ont.) was named a special teams all-star. Begin collected 11 field goals on 14 attempts and a league-leading 16 points on 16 extra-point attempts. He scored 51 of the Axemen's 165 total season points and the second most points of any other AUS player this year.

From the second-place Mount Allison Mounties, second-year quarterback Brandon Leyh (New Westminster, B.C.) and second-year running back Jordan Botel (Prince George, B.C.) were named to the AUS all-star team.

Over the course of the season, Leyh threw for a league-leading average of 171.3 yards per game.

Botel led the conference in rushing for the second year in a row. He finished with 758 total yards on 170 carries and scored six touchdowns. He was responsible for 36 of the Mounties' 166 total season points and he boasted the second most all-purpose yards with 812.

Fourth-year inside receiver Troy Trentham (Brooks, Alta.) also earned offensive all-star honours for the Mounties.

Among Mount Allison's defensive all-stars this season are third-year cornerback Donovan Saunders (Brampton, Ont.), third-year linebacker Te Nguyen (Oakville, Ont.) and third-year safety Kwame Adjei (Brampton, Ont.). Saunders was named both an all-star defensive back and an all-star kick returner in 2012.

Saunders and Nguyen had a league-leading four interceptions apiece this season, with Nguyen also recording two sacks, while Adjei posted 45 total tackles (30 solo and 30 assisted).

Third-year defensive tackle Jacob LeBlanc (Halifax, N.S.) was named to the all-star squad for the third consecutive year. LeBlanc was named AUS rookie of the year in his first year with the Mounties in 2011.

Rounding out the list of Mounties named to 2013 all-star team is second-year kick returner Michael Bohan (Sackville, N.B.). Bohan posted 52 punt returns for 552 total yards this season. In the Mounties' 30-9 loss to StFX on Oct. 5, Bohan, had 10 punt returns for 210 yards to set a Mount Allison school record. His 210 yards are also the second most punt return yards by an individual in a single game in AUS history – just 10 yards shy of the all-time conference record of 220 yards set by Acadia's Scott Crichton in 1972.

Earning offensive all-star honours for the first-place Saint Mary's Huskies are third-year centre Kyle Whalen (St. John's, N.L.) and fifth-year guard Guillaume Gagnier (Laval, Que.). Gagnier was also named to the AUS all-star team in 2011 and 2012.

Fourth-year cornerback Eric Black (Brampton, Ont.) and second-year linebacker Jonathan Langa (Etobicoke, Ont.) were named defensive all-stars for the Huskies.

Fifth-year Saint Mary's defensive end Rob Jubenville earned all-star honours for the third consecutive year. He was also named the conference's most outstanding lineman of the year in 2012. Jubenville concludes his AUS playing career this season as the all-time career leader in sacks with 36.

Earning all-star honours for the StFX X-Men are second-year punter Hayden Peters (Inverary, Ont.), fourth-year tackle Terry Hart (Barrie, Ont.), fourth-year wide receiver Devon Bailey (Mississauga, Ont.) and fourth-year linebacker Ron Omara (Aylmer, Que.).

Peters averaged a league-leading 37.1 yards per punt on 76 punts this season. Bailey, the No. 2-ranked prospect for the 2014 CFL Canadian draft, caught a league-leading five touchdowns, three more than any other AUS player this season.  

Omara led the conference in tackles this season with a career-high 62 (47 solo and 30 assisted), giving him the highest tackles per game average with 7.8.

2013 ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SPORT ALL-STARS

DEFENCE:

Defensive Tackle: Jacob Leblanc, Mount Allison (3rd year – Halifax, N.S.)
Defensive Tackle: Kirby Fletcher, Acadia (4th year – Grimshaw, Alta.)
Defensive End: Jesse St. James, Acadia (3rd year – Pincourt, Que.)
Defensive End: Rob Jubenville, Saint Mary's (5th year – Oshawa, Ont.)
Linebacker: Ron Omara, StFX (4th year – Aylmer, Que.)
Linebacker: Te Nguyen, Mount Allison (3rd year – Oakville, Ont.)
Linebacker: Jonathan Langa, Saint Mary's (2nd year – Etobicoke, Ont.)
Safety: Kwame Adjei, Mount Allison (3rd year – Brampton, Ont.)
Defensive Back: Brett Backman, Acadia (4th year – Tantallon, N.S.)
Defensive Back: Cam Wade, Acadia (5th year – Moncton, N.B.)
Corner Back: Eric Black, Saint Mary's (4th year – Toronto, Ont.)
Corner Back: Donovan Saunders, Mount Allison (3rd year – Brampton, Ont.) 

OFFENCE:

Centre: Kyle Whalen, Saint Mary's (3rd year – St. John's, Nfld.)
Guard: Guillaume Gagnier, Saint Mary's (5th year – Laval, Que.)
Guard: Chris Fanning, Acadia (2nd year – Ottawa, Ont.)
Tackle: Terry Hart, StFX (4th year – Barrie, Ont.)
Tackle: James Young, Acadia (4th year – Ottawa, Ont.)
Inside Receiver: Andrew Healy, Acadia (4th year – Bedford, N.S.)
Inside Receiver: Troy Trentham, Mount Allison (4th year – Brooks, Alta.)
Wide Receiver: Taylor Renaud, Acadia (5th year – Winnipeg, Man.)
Wide Receiver: Devon Bailey, StFX (4th year – Mississauga, Ont.)
Running Back: Jordan Botel, Mount Allison (2nd year – Prince George, B.C.)
Running Back: Thomas Troop, Acadia (2nd year – Alliston, Ont.)
Quarterback: Brandon Leyh, Mount Allison (2nd year – New Westminster, B.C.) 

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Punter: Hayden Peters, StFX (2nd year – Inverary, Ont.)
Place Kicker: Ryan Begin, Acadia (3rd year – Orleans, Ont.)
Kick Returner: Michael Bohan, Mount Allison (2nd year – Sackville, N.B.)

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Note: The Atlantic University Sport major award winners who will become finalists for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football awards will be announced Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013.

The 2013 Subway AUS Loney Bowl presented by Wilsons Home Heating takes place this Saturday at Huskies Stadium on the campus of Saint Mary's University in Halifax, N.S.

The Saint Mary's Huskies (5-3) host the Mount Allison Mounties (4-4, 1-0 playoffs) to battle for the Jewett Trophy, Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. live on Eastlink TV. The game will also be available live via webcast at www.AUStv.ca.

The winner will advance to the 2013 CIS Uteck Bowl, which will be played Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1:30 p.m.

Tickets for the 2013 Subway AUS Loney Bowl are on sale now at the Homburg Centre.

Tickets for the 2013 CIS Uteck Bowl are on sale now through Ticket Atlantic by calling (902)451-1221 or online at http://www.ticketatlantic.com/en/home/events/uteckbowl/info.aspx.