HEC CRIGHTON WINNER CLOSING IN ON OUA, CIS MARKS

OTTAWA (CIS) – University of Windsor running back Daryl Stephenson has set his fair share of records and claimed many awards since scoring a 49-yard touchdown on his very first CIS carry on September 6, 2004 against Queen’s. The London, Ont. native will be looking to set more new benchmarks in the coming weeks, including one of the most prestigious CIS marks of all.

Going into the Lancers second game of the 2007 campaign, a road tilt against Laurier on Saturday, the reigning Hec Crighton Trophy winner as CIS player of the year has 3,849 career rushing yards, leaving him 289 yards shy of the OUA record of 4,138 set by McMaster’s Jesse Lumsden over four seasons from 2001-04, and 889 yards short of the CIS mark of 4,738 set by Manitoba’s Dominic Zagari over five campaigns from 1991-95.

Standing between Zagari and Lumsden in second place on the CIS all-time list is Mount Allison’s Éric Lapointe, who tallied 4,666 yards on the ground over four years from 1995-98.

Zagari played a total of 37 regular season games during his university career with the Bisons, while Lapointe appeared in 28 conference matches and Lumsden in 29. Saturday’s match-up between No. 9-ranked Windsor and No. 7 Laurier will be Stephenson’s 26th OUA game.

The six-foot-two, 220-pound Lancer back has been a model of consistency in his first three campaigns. A year ago, he became the first player in CIS history to rush for 1,000 yards or better in three consecutive seasons. After opening the 2007 schedule with a 211-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 59-0 win over York on Labour Day Monday, Stephenson is well on his way to becoming the first player ever to reach the plateau for a fourth time.

Lapointe is the only other CIS player to break the 1,000-yard barrier on three occasions, although not in consecutive years. The former Montreal Alouette rushed for 1062 yards in 1995, for 1619 yards in 1996 and for 1515 yards in 1998, but was limited to 470 yards during an injury-plagued season in his junior campaign in 1997.

The list of Stephenson’s accomplishments since joining the Lancers is extensive. In 2004, he was named OUA rookie of the year after he set a CIS single-season rookie record with 1,192 rushing yards. In 2005, he claimed his first CIS rushing title with 1,306 yards. In 2006, he was crowned CIS rushing king for the second time with 1,140 yards en route to capturing the Hec Crighton.

Stephenson is also making his way up the OUA and CIS touchdown lists.

Entering the weekend, his 30 career rushing majors leave him ninth on the CIS list and fifth on the OUA list. The CIS mark of 49 was set by StFX’s Paul Brule from 1964-67, while Lumsden holds the OUA record of 46 and is second among CIS leaders. Zagari holds the Canada West record of 39, good for third place at the national level.

Stephenson also scored twice on receptions since 2004 for a total of 32 career touchdowns. While he still has some work to do in order to catch CIS leader Brule (51) and OUA record-holder Lumsden (47), five more majors would move Stephenson into seventh place on the CIS list and fifth position on the OUA list.

THE STEPHENSON RECORD WATCH

CIS career leaders rushing yards (regular season only)

4738 Dominic Zagari, Manitoba, 1991-95 (37 GP)
4666 Éric Lapointe, Mt. Allison, 1995-98 (28 GP)
4138 * Jesse Lumsden, McMaster, 2001-04 (29 GP)
4086 Doug Rozon, Saskatchewan, 1995-99
4036 Luis Perez, Saint Mary’s, 1997-01
4003 Grant Keaney, Mt. Allison, 1988-92
3849 Daryl Stephenson, Windsor, 2004-07 (25 GP, including Game 1 in 2007)
3784 Elio Geremia, Calgary, 1983-87
3773 Mike Bradley, Waterloo, 1997-01
3746 Dalton Smarsh, Alberta, 1972-76

* OUA record

CIS career leaders rushing touchdowns (regular season only)

49 Paul Brule, StFX, 1964-67
46 * Jesse Lumsden, McMaster, 2001-04 (29 GP)
39 Dominic Zagari, Manitoba, 1991-95 (37 GP)
38 Mike Bradley, Waterloo, 1997-01
36 Kojo Aidoo, McMaster, 1998-02
35 Luis Perez, Saint Mary’s, 1997-01
32 Jim Reid, Laurier, 1976-78
32 Phil Côté, Ottawa, 1996-00
30 Daryl Stephenson, Windsor, 2004-07 (25 GP, including Game 1 in 2007)
29 Jim Foley, St. Dunstan’s / UPEI, 1966-69
29 Éric Lapointe, Mt. Allison, 1995-98
29 Paul Correale, Queen’s, 1995-99
29 Akbal Singh, UBC, 1996-99

* OUA record

CIS career leaders total touchdowns (regular season only)

51 Paul Brule, StFX, 1964-67
48 Dominic Zagari, Manitoba, 1991-95 (37 GP)
47 * Jesse Lumsden, McMaster, 2001-04 (29 GP)
41 Mike Bradley, Waterloo, 1997-01
41 Andy Fantuz, Western, 2002-05
40 Kojo Aidoo, McMaster, 1998-02
37 Luis Perez, Saint Mary’s, 1997-01
34 Brian Fryer, Alberta, 1972-75
34 Tim Tindale, Western, 1990-93
34 Sean Reade, Western, 1992-96
34 Kyle Pyear, McMaster, 1999-03
33 Eric Walter, McGill - Toronto, 1961-62 - 64-65 / 1968-70
33 Jim Reid, Laurier, 1976-78
32 Daryl Stephenson, Windsor, 2004-07 (25 GP, including Game 1 in 2007)
32 Fabian Rayne, Western, 1996-00
32 Phil Côté, Ottawa, 1996-00

* OUA record

CIS single-season leaders rushing yards (regular season only)

1816 Jesse Lumsden, McMaster, 2004
1619 Éric Lapointe, Mt. Allison, 1996
1515 Éric Lapointe, Mt. Allison, 1998
1497 Jesse Lumsden, McMaster, 2003
1415 Akbal Singh, UBC, 1999
1377 Akbal Singh, UBC, 1998
1367 Andre Durie, York, 2004
1329 Kojo Aidoo, McMaster, 2000
1306 Daryl Stephenson, Windsor, 2005
1275 Jarrett Smith, Waterloo, 1997

Year-by-year rushing yard comparison

Dominic Zagari, Manitoba Bisons, 1991-95, 37 GP (4738 yards)

- 1991: 871
- 1992: 623
- 1993: 803
- 1994: 1260
- 1995: 1181

Éric Lapointe, Mount Allison Mounties, 1995-98, 28 GP (4666 yards)

- 1995: 1062
- 1996: 1619
- 1997: 470
- 1998: 1515

Jesse Lumsden, McMaster Marauders, 2001-04, 29 GP (4138 yards)

- 2001: 426
- 2002: 401
- 2003: 1497
- 2004: 1816 (CIS single-season record)

Daryl Stephenson, Windsor Lancers, 2004-current, 25 GP as of Sept. 7 (3849 yards)

- 2004: 1192
- 2005: 1306
- 2006: 1140
- 2007: 211 (after 1 game)

(Source: Michel Belanger, Canadian Interuniversity Sport)