HAMILTON (November 12, 2014) - After a rebound season in 2014 which featured a return to the conference playoffs, the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men's football team had six players recognized as OUA All-Stars by the conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Dillon Campbell of Whitby, Ont., Tommy Griffiths of Richmond Hill, Ont., Chris Ackie of Cambridge, Ont., and Ronnie Pfeffer of Kitchener, Ont., were all named OUA First Team All-Stars while Ese Mrabure-Ajufo of Mississauga, Ont., and Benjamin Millar of Campbellville, Ont., were named to the second team.

Campbell, the first of three Hawks to earn all-star honours for the second time, is coming off a season for the ages in 2014. The fourth year running back rushed for a CIS-best 1,458 yards, the sixth most in a single season in Canadian University history. He also led the country in touchdown with 13, and carries with 185. A second team all-star in 2013, this season marked the second consecutive year that Campbell led the OUA in rushing.

One of the big reasons for Campbell's success was the play of his offensive line, highlighted by Griffiths, a graduating guard. Making the transition from the defensive line in 2014, Griffiths was a force for the purple and gold and epitomized the mentality of one of the hardest working lines in the OUA. He anchored a group which allowed just 11 sacks on quarterback James Fracas of Waterloo, Ont., and helped generate the second-best rushing offence in the conference.

Ackie earns all-star recognition for the second time in his career after being named to the second team in 2013. The fourth year defensive back had a great season for the purple and gold as he led the team in tackles with 48.5, seventh most in the OUA. He also registered one sack, one interception and three pass breakups. His 48.5 tackles were the seventh most in a single season in school history and moved him to ninth all-time for career tackles with 128.

The final Hawk to earn first team honours is Pfeffer, who was recognized for his punting skills in 2014. Previously an OUA Second Team All-Star as a place kicker in 2011, the fourth year kicker was the country's best punter from the opening week of the season to the final week. He finished the year averaging an impressive 42.2 yards per punt, the highest in the CIS and the highest single-season average in Laurier history. With 2,535 yards accumulated on 60 punts, Pfeffer moved up to fourth all-time on Laurier's career punting list with 9,093 yards. 

Mrabure-Ajufo, a fourth year defensive end for the purple and gold, earns all-star recognition for the first time in his career after being named a Second Team All-Star. The 2014 CFL prospect was a force up front for Laurier's defence, finishing third in the conference for tackles for a loss with 10.5 and fourth in the conference in sacks with 5.5. He also recorded 25.5 tackles, sixth most among Golden Hawk defenders this season.

Laurier's final all-star is also a new comer to OUA recognition as Millar earns second team honours in his third season in the league. The Hawks starting free safety had a career year in 2014, recording 28.5 tackles, the fifth most on the team, while also picking up an interception, three knockdowns and a forced fumble.

The six all-stars are the most Laurier has had since the 2011 season when six players were also recognized, and the four first team all-stars are the most since 2009 when seven Hawks earned first team honours.

OUA ALL-STARS
FIRST-TEAM OFFENCE
Quarterback: Austin Kennedy – Windsor
Centre: Matthew Nesbitt – Guelph
Guard: Sean Jamieson – Western
Guard: Tommy Griffiths – Laurier
Offensive Tackle: Eddie Meredith – Western
Offensive Tackle: Matthew Toppan – Guelph
Inside Receiver: Daniel Vandervoort – McMaster
Inside Receiver: Evan Pszczonak – Windsor
Wide Receiver: Nathaniel Behar – Carleton
Wide Receiver: Llevi Noel – Toronto
Running Back: Dillon Campbell – Laurier
Running Back: Yannick Harou – Western
Punter: Ronnie Pfeffer – Laurier
Place Kicker: Tyler Crapigna – McMaster
Kick Returner: Ryan Nieuwesteeg - Guelph

FIRST-TEAM DEFENCE

Defensive Tackle: Daryl Waud – Western
Defensive Tackle: Ettore Lattanzio – Ottawa
Defensive End: Ricky Osei-Kusi – Western
Defensive End: Cameron Walker – Guelph
Linebacker: Curtis Newton – Guelph
Linebacker: Preston Huggins – Western
SAM Linebacker: Nick Shortill – McMaster
Cornerback: Joey Cupido – McMaster
Cornerback: Josh Woodman – Western
Defensive Halfback: Chris Ackie – Laurier
Defensive Halfback: Nathaniel Hamlin – Carleton
Free Safety: Tristan Doughlin – Guelph
Rush/Cover: Fraser Speakman – Guelph

SECOND-TEAM OFFENCE

Quarterback: Will Finch – Western 
Centre: Matt Van Praet – Western 
Guard: Zach Intzandt – McMaster 
Guard: Cam Wilhelm – Guelph 
Offensive Tackle: Sean Smith – McMaster 
Offensive Tackle: Adam Valchuk – Ottawa 
Inside Receiver: Alex Carroll – Queen's
Inside Receiver: Alex Charette – Guelph 
Wide Receiver: A'Dre Fraser – Guelph 
Wide Receiver: Doug Corby – Queen's
Running Back: Rob Farquharson – Guelph 
Running Back: Jesse Andrews – Queen's 
Punter: Zach Medeiros – Western 
Place Kicker: Daniel Ferraro – Guelph 
Kick Returner: Alex Carroll – Queen's 

SECOND-TEAM DEFENCE

Defensive Tackle: Derek Wiggan – Queen's
Defensive Tackle: Tai Pham – Windsor 
Defensive End: Ese Mrabure-Ajufo – Laurier 
Defensive End: Mike Kashak – McMaster 
Linebacker: Frank Renaud – Windsor 
Linebacker: Nick Lecour – Ottawa 
SAM Linebacker: Phil N'Djore – Western 
Cornerback: Colin Mandich – Guelph 
Cornerback: Tunde Adeleke – Carleton 
Defensive Halfback: Scott Martin – McMaster 
Defensive Halfback: Kalvin Johnson – Western 
Free Safety: Ben Millar – Laurier 
Rush/Cover: Alex Maj - Western

- with files from the OUA