2022 AUS football major award winners and all-stars announced

STFX’s Malcolm Bussey named AUS' most outstanding player

(HALIFAX, N.S.)  Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2022 football major award winners and all-stars, as selected by the conference's five head coaches following regular season play.

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Chris Flynn Trophy): Malcolm Bussey, STFX University
Malcolm Bussey of the STFX X-Men has been selected as the AUS most outstanding player of the year for 2022. The 5’11”, 192lb running back played in all eight regular-season games for the X-Men.

A second-year human kinetics student from Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, this year Bussey led the AUS in rushing (144), rushing yards (881), yards per game (110.1) and rushing touchdowns (11). He also tallied the second-most yards-per-rush in the conference with 6.1. Bussey’s league-leading 11 touchdowns led the country, too—he finished the regular season tied for the top spot in U SPORTS stats.

In addition to being named the AUS’ most outstanding player for 2022, Bussey was named to the conference all-star team. This is his second consecutive AUS major-award win, after being named rookie of the year in 2021.

This marks the fourth time in the last six seasons that a player from the X-Men has been honoured as the AUS’ most outstanding player. Bussey joins Silas Fagnan (2021), Tivon Cook (2016) and Kaion Julien-Grant (2018) in the record books. With this recognition, he becomes the Atlantic conference nominee for the Hec Crighton Trophy as U SPORTS outstanding player of the year. The most recent player from the AUS to earn the national award was former Saint Mary’s standout Erik Glavic, who was honoured in 2007.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Zachary Houde, STFX University
The 2022 AUS rookie of the year is the STFX X-Men’s Zachary Houde. A 6’1” 183lb receiver from Thetford Mines, Quebec, he played in all eight regular-season games for the X-Men.

Houde finished his first AUS regular season atop the AUS stats charts, leading the conference in receptions (33), reception yards (511), yards-per-game (63.9) and receiving touchdowns (3); His 511 receiving yards bested the rest of the conference by 100.

Houde is the second STFX player to be named AUS rookie of the year in the last decade, with the honour going to this year’s most outstanding player, Malcolm Bussey in 2021. He now becomes the Atlantic conference nominee for the national rookie of the year award, the Peter Gorman Trophy. The last AUS player to win this award was Mount Allison’s Jakob Loucks in 2016.

OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Tony Proudfoot Trophy): Gabriel Royer, Bishop’s University
The Bishop’s Gaiters’ Gabriel Royer has been named the AUS outstanding defensive player of the year. A 5’11”, 215 lbs linebacker from Lawrenceville, Quebec, he played in all seven regular-season games for the Gaiters.

A second-year sports studies student, Royer was the conference leader in tackles (52) solo tackles (44) and tackles per game (7.4) in the 2022 regular season. He also had the second-most sacks in the AUS (7), finished top-three in sack yards (28) and had two interceptions. His 7.4 tackles per game tied Royer for the most in the country.

In addition to being named the AUS outstanding defensive player of the year, he was also named a conference all-star for the second consecutive season today. This is the first time a player from Bishop’s has won this award.

Royer will now represent the conference as the AUS nominee for the U SPORTS Presidents' Trophy awarded to the national outstanding defensive player of the year. The last AUS player to win the national award was Jonathan Langa, of the Saint Mary’s Huskies, in 2014.

OUTSTANDING LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: Alex Fedchun, STFX University
Alex Fedchun of the STFX X-Men has been named the AUS outstanding lineman of the year for 2022. The 6’5”, 245lb defensive lineman played in all eight regular-season games for the X-Men.

A fifth-year human kinetics student from Calgary, Alberta, Fedchun led the conference in sacks during the regular season, with nine—the second-most in the country—and had the second-most sack yards in the AUS with 39. Had also tallied 38 tackles (31 solo, 14 assisted) for an average of 4.8 tackles per game and two fumble recoveries.

Fedchun is the second X-Men player to win this award in the last decade, after Vernon Sainvil in 2016. In addition to being named the league’s top lineman today, Fedchun was named to the AUS all-star team.

He will represent the conference as the nominee for the J.P. Metras Trophy for the national lineman of the year. STFX’s Mike Kushnir was the last Atlantic conference player to take home this honour, in 1997.

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Duncan Patterson, Saint Mary’s
Duncan Patterson of the Saint Mary’s Huskies is the 2022 AUS student-athlete community service award recipient. The 6’0”, 200lb veteran quarterback played in all seven games for the Huskies and finished the regular season with the second-most completions (86), passing yards (1143), yards-per-game (163.3) and passing touchdowns (8) in the conference. He also had five interceptions and a 137.8 pass rating.

A fourth-year player and first-year MBA student from Bedford, Nova Scotia, Patterson was the recipient of the 2022 Sobey MBA Scholarship Award, the highest scholarship offered within the MBA program. A four-time Academic All-Canadian who graduated from Acadia in 2022 with a 4.0 GPA and honours, the veteran student-athlete is dedicated to his studies as well as giving back to the community around him.

Over the past year, Patterson has served as a volunteer offensive assistant coach and quarterback coach with the Nova Scotia U16 football team. He’s also a past coach with the Valley Bulldogs minor football program. In addition to his coaching, Patterson dedicates his time to Special Olympics Canada’s Marathon of Sport Motionball event, raising funds for the Special Olympics Canada Foundation. He’s also given his time to the CIBC Run for the Cure, Nova Scotia Alzheimer Society and Relay for Life events for the Canadian Cancer Society. At school, he's a study hall mentor, overseeing weekly team study sessions or tutoring younger teammates as they navigate their first year as student-athletes.

With this win, Patterson will be the conference nominee for the prestigious Russ Jackson Award. Mount Allison’s Dan Parker was the last AUS student-athlete to be honoured nationally, in 2005.

COACH OF THE YEAR (Larry Uteck Trophy): Gary Waterman, STFX University 
For the fifth time in his career with the STFX X-Men, head coach Gary Waterman has been chosen by his peers as the Atlantic conference coach of the year.

In his 14^th year at the helm for the X-Men, Waterman led his team to an 8-0 regular-season record. That first-place finish earned the X-Men a bye to this weekend’s Subway AUS Loney Bowl championship game.

In 2022 regular season play, STFX led the conference in scoring (261), points per game (32.6), yards per game (404.6), passing yards (1940), passing touchdowns (13), rushing touchdowns (13), field goals (16-22), sacks (27) and defensive interceptions (14). Thirteen of his players were also named to the 2022 AUS All-Star Team.

Waterman now becomes the Atlantic conference nominee for this year’s U SPORTS coach of the year award, the Frank Tindall Trophy. Acadia head coach Jeff Cummins is the most recent AUS coach to receive the national honour, which he was awarded in 2017.

VOLUNTEER COACH OF THE YEAR (Phil Hughes Award): Tyler Wilson, STFX University 
Tyler Wilson of the STFX X-Men is the 2021 recipient of the Phil Hughes Award for Volunteer Coach of the Year and the AUS nominee for the national Gino Fracas Award. This award is given annually to an assistant coach who does not make a full-time living coaching football for the university.

A former player with the X-Men himself, Wilson joined the STFX coaching staff in 2017, first as an assistant special teams coach before transitioning to his current role as wide receivers coach. Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, he now calls Antigonish home and works there as a full-time teacher. Wilson is praised for the countless hours he’s committed to the team over the last six years, both in season and in the off-season, when he’ll often attend morning practices before heading to work. He also provides mentorship and academic support to many X-Men student-athletes.

Wilson now becomes the Atlantic conference nominee for the U SPORTS Gino Fracas Award. Saint Mary’s Huskies’ Joe Taplin is the most recent AUS recipient of the national award. He won in 2013.

2022 AUS FOOTBALL ALL-STARS

Defensive tackle: Zechariah Willems, STFX (2^nd year—Tiny, ON)

Defensive tackle: Reece Martin, Mount Allison (4th year— Moncton, N.B.)

Defensive end: Alex Fedchun, STFX (4th year—Calgary, AB)

Defensive end: Liam Patton, Bishop’s (4^th year—Thornhill, ON)

Linebacker: Gabriel Royer, Bishop’s (2^nd year—Lawrenceville, QC)    

Linebacker: Owen O’Neal, Mount Allison (3^rd year—Sackville, N.B.)

Linebacker: Dyton Blackett, STFX (4^th year—Canning, N.S.)

Safety: Lucas Cormier, Mount Allison (3rd year—Sackville, N.B.)

Halfback: Daniel Bell, Mount Allison (3rd year—Saint John, N.B.)

Halfback: Brandyn Martin, STFX (2^nd year—Melfort, SK)

Cornerback: Jassin States-McClean, Saint Mary’s (4^th year—Halifax, N.S.)

Cornerback: Liam Wilde, STFX (4^th year—Calgary, AB)

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Centre: Peter Kourtis, Saint Mary’s (5th year—Toronto, ON)

Guard: Will Chapman, STFX (3^rd year—Bedford, N.S.)

Guard: Jacob Scharnberg, Mount Allison (3^rd year—Moncton, N.B.)

Tackle: Liam McConville, STFX (5th year—London, ON)

Tackle: Mitchell Martel, Bishop’s (2^nd year—Pointe-Claire, QC)

Receiver: Zachary Houde, STFX (1^st year—Thetford Mines, QC)

Receiver: Ben Harrington, STFX (2^nd year—Dartmouth, N.S.)

Receiver: Zakariya Karim, STFX (3^rd year—Ottawa, ON)

Receiver: Liam Stewart, Saint Mary’s (2^nd year—Port Coquitlam, B.C.)

Running back: Malcolm Bussey, STFX (2nd year—Hammonds Plains, N.S.)

Running back: David Chaloux, Bishop’s (2^nd year—Saint-Charles-Boromée, QC)

Quarterback: Silas Fagnan, STFX (2nd year—Bonnyville, AB)

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Punter: Ben George, Acadia (4th year—Moncton, N.B.)

Placekicker: Ben Hadley, STFX (3^rd year—Halifax, N.S.)

Special teams player: Adryon Thompson, Mount Allison (4^th year—Sackville, N.B.)

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The Subway AUS Loney Bowl championship final will see the STFX X-Men and Mount Allison Mounties face off on Saturday, November 12 at 2 p.m. at STFX.

The game will be broadcast live via AUStv.ca.

All Atlantic University Sport major award winners automatically become finalists for the U SPORTS awards, which will be announced at the U SPORTS All-Canadian Banquet on Thursday, November 24 in London, Ontario.