May 4, 2009
TEN OUA STUDENT-ATHLETES DRAFTED BY CFL TEAMS
TEN OUA STUDENT-ATHLETES DRAFTED BY CFL TEAMS
HAMILTON, Ont. - Ontario University Athletics (OUA) would like to congratulate its 10 student-athletes who were selected in the 2009 CFL Canadian Draft on Saturday.
Queen’s Gaels defensive lineman Dee Sterling (Kingston, Ont.) was the first OUA football player selected in the draft, going in the second round (12th overall) to the Edmonton Eskimos. Sterling played in 32 games over four years at Queen’s. He made a significant impact in his senior year with 33 defensive tackles (26 solo), 7.5 sacks, two pass knockdowns and one forced fumble. He was named a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) all-Canadian and was an OUA first-team all-star.
Sterling was the first of three Gaels chosen on Saturday, with defensive teammates Osie Ukwuoma (Mississauga, Ont.) and Thaine Carter (Nanaimo, B.C.) being selected in later rounds. Ukwuoma, the 2008 OUA lineman of the year, was selected in the fifth round (40th overall) by the Calgary Stampeders. Ukwuoma recorded 9.5 sacks and 25 total tackles in 2008. He also earned first-team all-Canadian honours along with being an OUA first-team all-star for the second straight season.
Carter was chosen in the sixth round (45th overall) by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The linebacker was named the nation's best stand-up defensive player after leading the Gaels in tackles for the second straight season with a total of 42.5, including 33 solo, while also racking up three quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries in eight outings. The economics student, who was named an OUA all-star for the second year in a row and a first-team all-Canadian, helped the Queen's defence finish first in Ontario with the fewest points allowed (116) and rushing yards allowed per game (87), totals that were good for second and third place in the country, respectively.
The Blue Bombers had a preference for OUA athletes in the draft, using three of their four picks on Ontario university products. The Bombers nabbed a pair of Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, with offensive lineman Adam Bestard (Sarnia, Ont.) going 27th overall in the fourth round, and fullback Peter Quinney (Belleville, Ont.) being chosen in the fifth round (35th overall). Bestard played in all 10 of Laurier's games this season. The history major picked up two and a half tackles. Quinney started in nine of 10 games this year. In his four year career at Laurier, the kinesiology student compiled 201 rushing yards and 506 receiving yards.
Top-rated OUA prospect Matt Morencie (Windsor, Ont.) was selected in the third round, 21st overall by the B.C. Lions. Morencie was part of a Windsor Lancers offensive line which blocked for all-time CIS leading rusher Daryl Stephenson. Morencie is a two-time OUA all-star. Another offensive lineman, Zachary Pollari (Guelph, Ont.) of the Western Mustangs was selected in the fourth round (26th overall) by the Toronto Argonauts while teammate Jason Kosec (Mississauga, Ont.), a linebacker, was chosen in the sixth round (44th overall) by Edmonton. This extends Western’s streak of players being selected in the CFL draft to six straight years, the longest current steak in OUA.
The Argonauts also selected defensive back Brad Crawford (Hamilton, Ont.) of the Guelph Gryphons in the sixth round (43rd overall). In four seasons Crawford played five different positions, showing his versatility. Crawford was third on the Gryphons with 34 tackles in 2008. He is also the brother of Argonauts running back Bryan Crawford, a former Queen’s Gael and current OUA staff member.
Rounding out the OUA selections on Saturday is Ottawa Gee-Gees offensive lineman and long snapper Ryan Mousseau (Ottawa, Ont.) who was chosen in the sixth round (47th overall) by the Montreal Alouettes.
2009 CFL DRAFT PICKS FROM OUA
– OUA –
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.
HAMILTON, Ont. - Ontario University Athletics (OUA) would like to congratulate its 10 student-athletes who were selected in the 2009 CFL Canadian Draft on Saturday.
Queen’s Gaels defensive lineman Dee Sterling (Kingston, Ont.) was the first OUA football player selected in the draft, going in the second round (12th overall) to the Edmonton Eskimos. Sterling played in 32 games over four years at Queen’s. He made a significant impact in his senior year with 33 defensive tackles (26 solo), 7.5 sacks, two pass knockdowns and one forced fumble. He was named a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) all-Canadian and was an OUA first-team all-star.
Sterling was the first of three Gaels chosen on Saturday, with defensive teammates Osie Ukwuoma (Mississauga, Ont.) and Thaine Carter (Nanaimo, B.C.) being selected in later rounds. Ukwuoma, the 2008 OUA lineman of the year, was selected in the fifth round (40th overall) by the Calgary Stampeders. Ukwuoma recorded 9.5 sacks and 25 total tackles in 2008. He also earned first-team all-Canadian honours along with being an OUA first-team all-star for the second straight season.
Carter was chosen in the sixth round (45th overall) by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The linebacker was named the nation's best stand-up defensive player after leading the Gaels in tackles for the second straight season with a total of 42.5, including 33 solo, while also racking up three quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries in eight outings. The economics student, who was named an OUA all-star for the second year in a row and a first-team all-Canadian, helped the Queen's defence finish first in Ontario with the fewest points allowed (116) and rushing yards allowed per game (87), totals that were good for second and third place in the country, respectively.
The Blue Bombers had a preference for OUA athletes in the draft, using three of their four picks on Ontario university products. The Bombers nabbed a pair of Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, with offensive lineman Adam Bestard (Sarnia, Ont.) going 27th overall in the fourth round, and fullback Peter Quinney (Belleville, Ont.) being chosen in the fifth round (35th overall). Bestard played in all 10 of Laurier's games this season. The history major picked up two and a half tackles. Quinney started in nine of 10 games this year. In his four year career at Laurier, the kinesiology student compiled 201 rushing yards and 506 receiving yards.
Top-rated OUA prospect Matt Morencie (Windsor, Ont.) was selected in the third round, 21st overall by the B.C. Lions. Morencie was part of a Windsor Lancers offensive line which blocked for all-time CIS leading rusher Daryl Stephenson. Morencie is a two-time OUA all-star. Another offensive lineman, Zachary Pollari (Guelph, Ont.) of the Western Mustangs was selected in the fourth round (26th overall) by the Toronto Argonauts while teammate Jason Kosec (Mississauga, Ont.), a linebacker, was chosen in the sixth round (44th overall) by Edmonton. This extends Western’s streak of players being selected in the CFL draft to six straight years, the longest current steak in OUA.
The Argonauts also selected defensive back Brad Crawford (Hamilton, Ont.) of the Guelph Gryphons in the sixth round (43rd overall). In four seasons Crawford played five different positions, showing his versatility. Crawford was third on the Gryphons with 34 tackles in 2008. He is also the brother of Argonauts running back Bryan Crawford, a former Queen’s Gael and current OUA staff member.
Rounding out the OUA selections on Saturday is Ottawa Gee-Gees offensive lineman and long snapper Ryan Mousseau (Ottawa, Ont.) who was chosen in the sixth round (47th overall) by the Montreal Alouettes.
2009 CFL DRAFT PICKS FROM OUA
| Round | Pick | Team | Player | Position | School |
| 2 | 12 | Edmonton | Sterling, Dee | DL | Queen's |
| 3 | 21 | British Columbia | Morencie, Matt | OL | Windsor |
| 4 | 26 | Toronto | Pollari, Zachary | OT | Western |
| 4 | 27 | Winnipeg | Bestard, Adam | OL | Laurier |
| 5 | 35 | Winnipeg | Quinney, Peter | FB | Laurier |
| 5 | 40 | Calgary | Ukwuoma, Osie | DL | Queen's |
| 6 | 43 | Toronto | Crawford, Brad | DB | Guelph |
| 6 | 44 | Edmonton | Kosec, Jason | LB | Western |
| 6 | 45 | Winnipeg | Carter, Thaine | LB | Queen's |
| 6 | 47 | Montreal | Mousseau, Ryan | OL | Ottawa |
– OUA –
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.
