Burlington, ON - On Wednesday (Nov. 11) the OUA announced its list of All-Stars for the 2015 football season with a total of 11 Gryphons receiving recognition. Five Gryphon players were named OUA First Team All-Stars while another six earned OUA Second Team honours.

For the first time in his career, fifth year middle linebacker John Rush has earned a spot as an OUA First Team All-Star following an incredible 2015 season which saw him lead the country in tackles during the regular season with 60. During the regular season, Rush also recorded 3 sacks, 2 interceptions as well as a forced fumble as the Niagara Falls native solidified himself as one of the top defensive players in the country. Rush was one of two Gryphon defensive players to be named an OUA First Team All-Star, with second year standout Nick Parisotto also earning the title. With Parisotto at half back, the Gryphons boast one of the most dynamic defensive players in the conference. Whether coming up with big plays in the secondary against the pass, helping stop the ground game, or even contributing on special teams, it wasn't hard to find #25 on the Gryphons stepping up in one way or another on Saturday afternoons this fall as he constantly impacted games with his dynamic skill set. Parisotto, a Guelph native, finished the season third on the team in tackles with 32 while also tying for the team lead with 3 interceptions during the regular season.

On offence, the Gryphons had two players named OUA First Team All-Stars. Statistically, third year receiver Jacob Scarfone (London, ON) put together one of the most impressive single-season performances in U of G history. Scarfone finished the regular season with 57 catches for 940 yards and 10 touchdowns. The 940 yards are a school record. The 57 catches and 10 receiving TDs both rank 2nd in school history. Not bad for a player who was in his first full season as an everyday starter. On the offensive line, Matt Toppan has been named an OUA First Team All-Star for a second straight season. Lining up at Left Tackle and protecting the blindside of James Roberts, Toppan was once again the leader of a talented and experienced Gryphon offensive line that lead the way for Johnny Augustine to rush for over 800 yards and 12 TDs while also providing Roberts with time to throw for over 2,200 yards and 18 TDs.

Rounding out the Gryphons OUA First Team selections is Gabriel Ferraro who was named the top place kicker in the conference. This marks the second straight season that a Ferraro has been named an OUA All-Star kicker after Gabe's older brother, Daniel, took home Second Team honours for the Gryphons in 2014. When Daniel ended his Gryphon career in 2014 by hitting a CIS record 26 field goals during the regular season, there were naturally some big shoes to fill for younger brother Gabe this season. The second year man proved to be more than ready to take over from his older brother, as Gabe put together an excellent 2015 season that saw him go 15 of 18 on field goals (83%) while finishing 4th in the CIS with 85 points during the regular season. Last Saturday, Ferraro helped kick the Gryphons to the 108th Yates Cup by going 4-for-4 on field goals in a 33-21 victory over the Carleton Ravens.

Headling the Gryphons OUA Second Team selections are a pair of players who were named Second Team CIS All-Canadians a year ago. Return specialist Ryan Nieuwesteeg put together another incredible season, racking up 846 punt return yards during the regular season. That total was both a school record, as well as the second-highest single-season total in CIS history, behind only Dillon Heap's record of 912 set in 2009. Nieuwesteeg had two punt returns for touchdowns in 2015, a 79-yarder against Waterloo in Week 1 and a 63-yarder against Windsor in Week 8. The sociology major also handles kick return duties for the Gryphons and averaged 23.3 yards per return, fifth best in OUA. Fourth year linebacker Curtis Newton was named to the OUA's Second Team after an impressive 2015 season in which he finished second on the team in tackles (40) while recording 2 INTs and a team-high 3 fumble recoveries. The London native was one of the top players on a Gryphon defence that ranked in the Top 10 nationally in almost every major defensive category.

Two other standout players from the Gryphon D received OUA Second Team All-Star recognition as both Tristan Doughlin and Donnie Egerter earned the title. Doughlin, a OUA First Team All-Star free safety a year ago, once again put together a solid year at the back of that Gryphon secondary, finishing tied with Parisotto for the team lead with 3 INTs on the season. Egerter meanwhile earns his first All-Star award after recording 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble while also opening up laneways for the talented Gryphon linebackers to get to the ball carriers. Rounding out the list of 2015 All-Stars for the Gryphons are offensive linemen Matthew Nesbitt and Andrew Pickett. Nesbitt, the Gryphons fifth year centre and an OUA First Team All-Star a season ago, was once again one of the most important pieces on the entire Gryphon offence. While the Gryphons boast plenty of experience on the O-line with Nesbitt, Toppan and Kyle Fraser-Audit (all of whom are in their 4th or 5th year), the future also remains bright up front thanks in part to players like Andrew Pickett. The second year Cambridge native takes home OUA Second Team honours in what was his first full season starting at Guard.

For more information on all of the OUA All-Stars, visit oua.ca.

The 2015 OUA Football Major Award Winners will be announced starting at 11:00 a.m. ET on Nov. 12 at Yates Cup press conference in Burlington, Ont.
 

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OUA FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS

Pos. - Athlete - University - Year - Hometown - Program

Offence

QB - Will Finch - Western - 4 - Burlington, Ont. - Social Science
RB - Dillon Campbell - Laurier - 5 - Whitby, Ont. - Kinesiology & PE
FB - Tom Marshall - Western - 4 - London, Ont. - Social Science
REC - Danny Vandervoort - McMaser - 3 - Barrie, Ont. - Sociology
REC - Ian Stewart - Ottawa - 5 - Burlington, Ont. - Finance
REC - Jacob Scarfone - Guelph - 3 - London, Ont. - Marketing Management
REC - Nathaniel Behar - Carleton - 3 - London, Ont. - Communications
C - Matt Van Praet - Western - 4 - London, Ont. - Kinesiology
T - Matthew Toppan - Guelph - 4 - Oakville, Ont. - Sociology
T - Eddie Meredith - Western - 3 - Toronto, Ont. - Social Sciences
G - Zach Intzandt - McMaster - 4 - London, Ont. - Justice, Political Philosophy & Law
G - Sean Jamieson - Western - 4 - Winnipeg, Man. - Kinesiology

Defence

DT - Rupert Butcher - Western - 4 - London, Ont. - Huron College
DT - Asante Mizan - Laurier - 5 - Brooklyn, N.Y. - Philosophy
DE - Kwaku Boateng - Laurier - 3 - Milton, Ont. - Business
DE - Mike Kashak - McMaster - 4 - Courtice, Ont. - Labour Studies & Political Science
LB - John Rush - Guelph - 5 - Niagara Falls, Ont. - Marketing Management
LB - Jake Heathcote - McMaster - 2 - Aldergrove, B.C. - Commerce
SAM - Matt Gayer - Windsor - 3 - Leamington, Ont. - Criminology
FS - Jesse McNair - Western - 3 - London, Ont. - BMOS
HB - Nick Parisotto - Guelph - 2 - Guelph, Ont. - Leadership and Organizational Management
HB - Nathaniel Hamlin - Carleton - 3 - Ottawa, Ont. - Communications
CB - Godfrey Onyeka - Laurier - 2 - Brampton, Ont. - Health Sciences
CB - Josh Woodman - Western - 3 - Chatham, Ont. - Social Sciences

Special Teams

P - TJ Morton - Toronto - 3 - Elkton, Md. - Communications
K - Gabriel Ferraro - Guelph - 2 - Mississauga, Ont. - Undeclared
RET - Tunde Adeleke - Carleton - 3 - Ottawa, Ont. - Economics
RUSH - Keith Graham - Carleton - 3 - Halifax, NS. - Psychology
 

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OUA SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS

Offence

QB - Asher Hastings - McMaster - 3 - Regina , SK. - Psychology
QB - Derek Wendel - Ottawa - 4 - Belleville, Ont. - Human Kinetics
RB - Alex Taylor - Western - 2 - Winnipeg, Man. - Kinesiology
FB - Stefano Napolitano - Carleton - 3 - Stittsville, Ont. - Criminology
REC - Dan Petermann - McMaster - 2 - Stoney Creek, Ont. - Humanities
REC - Doug Corby - Queen's - 4 - Burlington, Ont. - Arts & Science
REC - George Johnson - Western - 4 - London, Ont. - King's College
REC - Kurleigh Gittens Jr. - Laurier - 1 - Ottawa, Ont. - Sociology
C - Matthew Nesbitt - Guelph - 5 - London, Ont. - Human Kinetics
T - Kadeem Adams - Western - 4 - Halifax, NS. - Social Science
T - Sean Smith - McMaster - 5 - St. Andrews West, Ont. - Continuing - Social Sciences
G - Andrew Pickett - Guelph - 2 - Kitchener, Ont. - Human Kinetics
G - KC Bakker - Carleton - 2 - London, Ont. - Criminology

Defence

DT - Donnie Egerter - Guelph - 4 - Niagara Falls, Ont. - Sociology
DT - Kevin Aleinik - McMaster - 5 - Lancaster, Ont. - Kinesiology
DE - John Biewald - Western - 4 - Ottawa, Ont. - Social Science
DE - Mark Mackie - McMaster - 3 - London, Ont. - Kinesiology
LB - Curtis Newton - Guelph - 4 - London, Ont. - Sociology
LB - Nakas Onyeka - Laurier - 3 - Brampton, Ont. - Communications
SAM - Guillaume Caron - Carleton - 1 - Saint-Joseph-Du-Lac, Que. - Criminology
FS - Tristan Doughlin - Guelph - 4 - Toronto, Ont. - Arts
HB - Malcolm Thompson - Laurier - 2 - Windsor, Ont. - Sociology
HB - Malcolm Brown - Western - 4 - London, Ont. - King's College
CB - Robbie Yochim - McMaster - 1 - Kelowna, BC - Social Sciences
CB - D'Sean Thelwell - Carleton - 3 - London, Ont. - Communications

Special Teams

P - Dillon Wamsley - Queen's - 4 - London, Ont. - Arts & Science
K - Michael Domagala - Carleton - 3 - St. Catharines, Ont. - Criminology & Criminal Justice
RET - Ryan Nieuwesteeg - Guelph - 4 - Niagara Falls, Ont. - Sociology
RUSH - Mitch O'Connor - McMaster - 2 - Kingston, Ont. - Sociology