TORONTO, ON – After a spectacular season that saw the Laurier Golden Hawks Men's Football team carve a place at the top of the OUA standings, Manager of Football Operations and Head Coach Gary Jeffries has been awarded the CIS Coach of the Year. His accomplishment -- taking a 1-7 football team through a turnaround season that resulted in a trip to the OUA finals – has already earned him the title of OUA coach of the year.

Gary moved to the head position this season after taking the reins last season as the interim head coach during a labour dispute. 'Coach Jeff' has coached Golden Hawk football for 26 years along side previous Laurier head coaches Tuffy Knight, Rich Newbrough and Rick Zmich.

Jeffries has coached close to 700 games in total for Wilfrid Laurier (both football and basketball) and his passion for the school and his teams remains undying.

The OUA's All-Star announcement offered strong testimony as 10 members of the Jeffries' Golden Hawk squad were recognized with provincial honours for their performance on the field. Five of those players have been nationally honoured as CIS All-Canadians.