Wilfrid Laurier's Taylor Elgersma wins 2024 Hec Crighton Award

Laurier Golden Hawks quarterback Taylor Elgersma has been awarded the Hec Crighton Trophy as the Most Outstanding Player in U SPORTS football at the annual Vanier Cup award gala, held on Thursday evening in Kingston.

Other major award winners include Manitoba guard Giordano Vaccaro, who received the J.P. Metras Trophy (Most Outstanding Lineman); Calgary safety Nate Beauchemin, who took home the Presidents’ Trophy (Most Outstanding Defensive Player); Montreal receiver Enrique Jaimes Leclair won the Peter Gorman Trophy for Rookie of the Year; Saskatchewan running back Ryker Frank was awarded the Russ Jackson Award for his excellence in football, academics, and community service. Michael Faulds of Laurier won the Frank Tindall Trophy as the Fox40 Coach of the Year. 

Hec Crighton Trophy (Player of the Year) – Taylor Elgersma, Laurier

The first back-to-back OUA MVP in Laurier program history, Taylor Elgersma led the Golden Hawks to its first undefeated season in 19 years and just the eighth time ever. He was named a 2024 OUA First-Team All-Star and set a new program record for passing yards in a season for the second straight year.

A fourth-year kinesiology and physical education major from London, Ont., Elgersma led U SPORTS in passing yards (3,554), passing yards per game (323.1), and passing touchdowns (28) this season, having the fourth-most rushing TDs by a quarterback in the nation with seven. Elgersma threw for over 400 yards in a game on three separate occasions, including a career and OUA best of 464 against Carleton in the team's final regular season game. He passed for three or more TDs in four games, including five against Queen's.

He becomes just the second Golden Hawk to win the Hec Creighton Award after fellow QB Bill Kubas, who won 30 years ago.

Other nominees: Arnaud Desjardins (Laval), Jackson Tachinski (Manitoba), Justin Quirion (Bishop's)

J.P. Metras Trophy (Lineman of the Year) – Giordano Vaccaro, Manitoba

Offensive guard Giordano Vaccaro has been named Lineman of the Year for the first time in his career. The third-year Manitoba native is the ninth Bison overall to earn the recognition, and first since 2016. 

A back-to-back All-Canadian and three-year starter who has played at left tackle and guard, Vaccaro – a unanimous Canada West All-Star selection – is also the first Bisons offensive lineman since Chris Bochen in 2001 and 2002 to earn back-to-back Canada West All-Star and All-Canadian selections. Vaccaro, alongside fellow offensive line all-stars Sean Rowe and Mark Rauhaus helped the Herd set a school record, with 2,016 rushing yards in 2024, which also led the nation. 

Other nominees: Jeremiah Ojo (Montreal), Erik Andersen (Western), Brandon-James Poulin-Marques (Bishop's)

Presidents’ Trophy (Standup Defensive Player of the Year) – Nate Beauchemin, Calgary

Beauchemin led Canada West this season with four interceptions – double that of the next closest player and tied for second most in the country. The fourth-year safety and Kelowna, B.C., product returned two of those picks for touchdowns, the most by a defensive player this year. His 167 interception return yards are a new single-season program record for the Dinos. The 6-foot-2 safety finished the year with 39 tackles along with a blocked field goal.

Other nominees: Mendel Joseph (Concordia), Jackson Findlay (Western), Alex MacDonald (Bishop's)

Peter Gorman Trophy (Rookie of the Year) – Enrique Jaimes Leclair, Montreal

In his rookie season, Enrique Jaimes Leclair caught 26 passes for gains of 475 yards and five touchdowns in seven regular-season games, leading all Carabins receivers. The business student received the RSEQ Rookie of the Year award and a spot on the conference's All-Star team.

Returning home after a stint at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Varennes-born wide receiver's 67.9-yard average and five majors are tops among all rookies in Canada this season. Leclair's one-handed catch behind the back of a Laval defensive back for a touchdown became viral on the web and in sports news highlights.

Other nominees: Jackson Taylor (McMaster), Deacon Sterna (UBC), Nick Swain (Acadia)

Russ Jackson Award (Athletics, Academics, Community Service) – Ryker Frank, Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan running back and two-time CW All-Star (2022, 2024) Ryker Frank has modeled excellence both on and off the field. The fourth-year engineering student and product of Regina has appeared in 41 career games, proving to be one of the best backs in program history. Frank ranks in the Huskies' top 10 for career rushing yards (3,042, 2nd), rushing attempts (477, 3rd), all-purpose yards (4,237, 3rd), total touchdowns (27, 2nd), and points scored (162, 9^th) and has scored a team-high 21 career touchdowns.

Off the field, he is a four-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian and has been awarded twice with the Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service Award. In 2023-24 he was also among the Top 10 Huskie Student-Athletes to be named an Academic All-Canadian, having maintained an average of 93.5% in the College of Engineering during the last academic year.

Frank gives back to his community, serving as a foster home provider with SOS Prairie Rescue for several years, caring for foster cats by handling feeding, medication, and hygiene. In addition to his volunteer work with animals, Frank has served as a coach and mentor for young athletes at Huskie Football’s high school camps and with Saskatoon Minor Football’s U16 Spring Academy. Frank also volunteers with KidSport’s annual Amazing Race event, where he runs a football skills station, offering guidance and encouragement to participants in activities such as kicking, throwing, and catching. 

Other nominees: Isaac Pepin (Concordia), Ben Maracle (Ottawa), Malik Williams (Saint Mary's)

Frank Tindall Trophy (Fox 40 Coach of the Year) – Michael Faulds, Laurier

Laurier head coach Michael Faulds was at the helm as the Golden Hawks completed the OUA’s only undefeated season and the program’s first in 19 years. This year, the Hawks topped 300 points in a season for the first time since 2017 and, under his watch, the team also boasted the nation’s leading passer in Taylor Elgersma and receiver Ethan Jordan, as well as the OUA’s third-leading rusher in Tanner Nelmes. Laurier's defence ranked second in the OUA this season, giving up just 22.5 points per game. 

Since becoming Laurier's head coach in 2013, he has accumulated a regular season coaching record of 53-33 and 9-7 in the playoffs. His 62 wins now ranks third all-time in program history, behind only Dave "Tuffy" Knight (99) and Gary Jeffries (69). Having become the first Laurier head coach since Jeffries to win back-to-back OUA Coach of the Year awards, this marks the seventh time a Golden Hawks head coach has won the Frank Tindall Trophy and the second time for Faulds, with the first being in 2016.

Other nominees: Glen Constantin (Laval), Brian Dobie (Manitoba), Chérif Nicholas (Bishop's)

The 2024 Vanier Cup is on Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern time on CBC TV and TVA Sports. Live streaming of the contest between the Laval Rouge et Or and the Laurier Golden Hawks is also available on CBC’s digital platforms (CBC Gem, CBCsports.ca and the CBC Sports app) and on TVA Sports.