March 14, 2009
GIFFIN AND BRANNAGAN NAMED QUEEN'S FOOTBALL MVP
KINGSTON, Ont. - Mike Giffin (Kingston, Ont.) and Dan Brannagan (Burlington, Ont.) collected Queen's Football Club's most valuable player award for the 2008-09 season at the team's annual year end banquet held Saturday evening.
Giffin who earned the OUA most valuable player following the conclusion of the season captured his second consecutive OUA rushing title in 2008 running for 1,061 yards during the regular season. He also led the OUA and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) in touchdowns with 12 of the 14 coming on the ground.
He dominated the Gaels running game notching over 200 yards in three games compiling a string of 14 consecutive regular season games with over 100 yards rushing that spanned three seasons. The fourth-year veteran also became Queen's all-time leading rusher with 3,110 yards eclipsing alumnus Larry Mohr.
Brannagan joins Giffin as the co-recipient of the Johnny Evans Trophy recognizing the team's most valuable player. He was second in the OUA in passing yards with 2,407 and led the nation with 24 touchdowns. Brannagan was named a first team all-star as well as a second team All-Canadian and also passed two-time Hec Crighton award recipient Tom Dennison as the Gaels all-time leading passer.
The team also awarded Brannagan the Doug Hargreaves Trophy which signifies the team's top offensive player. Brannagan was the only double-award recipient honoured by the team.
Defensive Player of the Year honours went to Thaine Carter (Nanaimo, B.C.) for the second consecutive season. The six-foot-two, 225-pound fourth-year senior again led his team in tackles with a total of 42.5, including 33 solo, while racking up three quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries in eight conference outings.
The economics student, who was named an OUA all-star for the second year in a row and a first-team all-Canadian, earned the Presidents' Trophy as the nation's top defensive player in the CIS for the 2008 football season. He is the first Queen's student-athlete to claim the honour since the inception of the award in 1980.
Jimmy Allin (Belleville, Ont.) also duplicated last year's awards, earning Queen's Special Team Player of the Year. Allin was a two time OUA All-Star this season earning a selection at both corner back and on special teams. He averaged 16.8 yards on punt returns with his longest being 75 yards.
Last weekend Allin garnered attention at the CFL evaluation camp clocking a new record in the shuttle run drill at 3.97 seconds.
The Orrin Carson Memorial Trophy which is awarded to both the Offensive and Defensive Lineman of the Year went to Dan Bederman (Toronto, Ont.) on the offensive line while Osie Ukwuoma (Mississauga, Ont.) claimed the defensive line. This is Ukwuoma's second time receiving the award with the first coming last season.
Ukwuoma had 9.5 sacks in nine games on his way to first team all-Canadian selection. He was a runner up for the CIS J.P. Metras Award and named the OUA lineman of the year. Bederman had a solid year on the line, garnering an OUA first team all-star selection.
Rookie of the Year honours went to defensive back Josh Sultana (Etobicoke, Ont.). He appeared in seven games for Queen's making 18 solo tackles while intercepting his opponents twice and recovering a fumble.
Kingston natives Scott Valberg, Neil Puffer and Matt O'Donnell also picked up hardware at the banquet. Valberg (wide receiver) and Puffer (defensive lineman) shared the Hal McCarney Trophy as the team's most dedicated while O'Donnell a offensive lineman was awarded the Justin Schwieg award as the most improved player.
Linebacker T.J. Leeper (London, Ont.) was awarded the Bill Miklas Trophy for Academics, Athletics and Citizenship.
For the second consecutive season, the Berk Brean Memorial Award was awarded to Frontenac Secondary School's Mike Doyle and Doug Johnston. The award recognizes the Kingston area's top high school football coach as determined by the Queen's Football Club. This season the two coaches helped the Falcons defend its National Capital Bowl title defeating the Crestwood Mustangs 36-1 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto
The awards banquet officially concluded the 2008-09 season and preparation for the 2009-10 season is already underway. This year's season kicks off on Labour Day Monday (Sept. 7) with the Guelph Gryphons visiting Richardson Stadium in Kingston.
Season tickets for Queen's Football are available for purchase by calling 613.533.2500.
2008-09 QUEEN'S FOOTBALL AWARD RECIPIENTS
Most Valuable Player (Johnny Evans Trophy): Danny Brannagan, Mike Giffin
Offensive Lineman of the Year (Orrin Carson): Dan Bederman
Defensive Lineman of the Year (Orrin Carson): Osie Ukwuoma
Special Teams Player of the Year (Bob Howes Trophy): Jimmy Allin
Offensive Player of the Year (Doug Hargreaves Trophy): Danny Brannagan
Defensive Player of the Year (Lou Bruce Trophy): Thaine Carter
Rookie of the Year (Royal Todd): Josh Sultana
Academic & Athletics (Bill Miklas Trophy): T.J. Leeper
Most Dedicated (Hal McCarney Trophy): Neil Puffer, Scott Valberg
Most Improved (Justin Schwieg Trophy): Matt O'Donnell
HS Coach of the Year (Berk Brean Trophy): Mike Doyle and Doug Johnston - Frontenac Secondary Falcons
Source: Queen's Gaels Athletics
Giffin who earned the OUA most valuable player following the conclusion of the season captured his second consecutive OUA rushing title in 2008 running for 1,061 yards during the regular season. He also led the OUA and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) in touchdowns with 12 of the 14 coming on the ground.
He dominated the Gaels running game notching over 200 yards in three games compiling a string of 14 consecutive regular season games with over 100 yards rushing that spanned three seasons. The fourth-year veteran also became Queen's all-time leading rusher with 3,110 yards eclipsing alumnus Larry Mohr.
Brannagan joins Giffin as the co-recipient of the Johnny Evans Trophy recognizing the team's most valuable player. He was second in the OUA in passing yards with 2,407 and led the nation with 24 touchdowns. Brannagan was named a first team all-star as well as a second team All-Canadian and also passed two-time Hec Crighton award recipient Tom Dennison as the Gaels all-time leading passer.
The team also awarded Brannagan the Doug Hargreaves Trophy which signifies the team's top offensive player. Brannagan was the only double-award recipient honoured by the team.
Defensive Player of the Year honours went to Thaine Carter (Nanaimo, B.C.) for the second consecutive season. The six-foot-two, 225-pound fourth-year senior again led his team in tackles with a total of 42.5, including 33 solo, while racking up three quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries in eight conference outings.
The economics student, who was named an OUA all-star for the second year in a row and a first-team all-Canadian, earned the Presidents' Trophy as the nation's top defensive player in the CIS for the 2008 football season. He is the first Queen's student-athlete to claim the honour since the inception of the award in 1980.
Jimmy Allin (Belleville, Ont.) also duplicated last year's awards, earning Queen's Special Team Player of the Year. Allin was a two time OUA All-Star this season earning a selection at both corner back and on special teams. He averaged 16.8 yards on punt returns with his longest being 75 yards.
Last weekend Allin garnered attention at the CFL evaluation camp clocking a new record in the shuttle run drill at 3.97 seconds.
The Orrin Carson Memorial Trophy which is awarded to both the Offensive and Defensive Lineman of the Year went to Dan Bederman (Toronto, Ont.) on the offensive line while Osie Ukwuoma (Mississauga, Ont.) claimed the defensive line. This is Ukwuoma's second time receiving the award with the first coming last season.
Ukwuoma had 9.5 sacks in nine games on his way to first team all-Canadian selection. He was a runner up for the CIS J.P. Metras Award and named the OUA lineman of the year. Bederman had a solid year on the line, garnering an OUA first team all-star selection.
Rookie of the Year honours went to defensive back Josh Sultana (Etobicoke, Ont.). He appeared in seven games for Queen's making 18 solo tackles while intercepting his opponents twice and recovering a fumble.
Kingston natives Scott Valberg, Neil Puffer and Matt O'Donnell also picked up hardware at the banquet. Valberg (wide receiver) and Puffer (defensive lineman) shared the Hal McCarney Trophy as the team's most dedicated while O'Donnell a offensive lineman was awarded the Justin Schwieg award as the most improved player.
Linebacker T.J. Leeper (London, Ont.) was awarded the Bill Miklas Trophy for Academics, Athletics and Citizenship.
For the second consecutive season, the Berk Brean Memorial Award was awarded to Frontenac Secondary School's Mike Doyle and Doug Johnston. The award recognizes the Kingston area's top high school football coach as determined by the Queen's Football Club. This season the two coaches helped the Falcons defend its National Capital Bowl title defeating the Crestwood Mustangs 36-1 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto
The awards banquet officially concluded the 2008-09 season and preparation for the 2009-10 season is already underway. This year's season kicks off on Labour Day Monday (Sept. 7) with the Guelph Gryphons visiting Richardson Stadium in Kingston.
Season tickets for Queen's Football are available for purchase by calling 613.533.2500.
2008-09 QUEEN'S FOOTBALL AWARD RECIPIENTS
Most Valuable Player (Johnny Evans Trophy): Danny Brannagan, Mike Giffin
Offensive Lineman of the Year (Orrin Carson): Dan Bederman
Defensive Lineman of the Year (Orrin Carson): Osie Ukwuoma
Special Teams Player of the Year (Bob Howes Trophy): Jimmy Allin
Offensive Player of the Year (Doug Hargreaves Trophy): Danny Brannagan
Defensive Player of the Year (Lou Bruce Trophy): Thaine Carter
Rookie of the Year (Royal Todd): Josh Sultana
Academic & Athletics (Bill Miklas Trophy): T.J. Leeper
Most Dedicated (Hal McCarney Trophy): Neil Puffer, Scott Valberg
Most Improved (Justin Schwieg Trophy): Matt O'Donnell
HS Coach of the Year (Berk Brean Trophy): Mike Doyle and Doug Johnston - Frontenac Secondary Falcons
Source: Queen's Gaels Athletics
