HAMILTON, Ont. – The OUA awards luncheon at Tim Horton's Field saw two Golden Hawks bring home the conference's major awards for the 2024 football season in back-to-back years.
 
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – TAYLOR ELGERSMA
Elgersma was reacquainted with the Larry Haylor Award on Thursday, being named the OUA most valuable player. He wrote his name in the record books being the first back-to-back recipient in Laurier football program history, and the first since Tom Denison of the Queen's Gaels in 2002 and 2003.
 
Despite making program history, Elgersma credited his teammates for his success. "I talked about number four, Ethan Jordan. We have a special connection. He's a guy that's easy to throw the ball to, and makes life easy on me. I talked about Raidan Thorne. Our hard work has paid off, and I'm so proud of where he's gotten to and everything he provides for us,"
 
"We have three guys in our back field who are all-stars, and the guys carrying the load up front, I can't say enough about our O-linemen. They've all played great for us this year, so I can't say enough about the supporting cast around me."
 
Elgersma led both the OUA and U SPORTS in touchdowns (20), yards per game (330.4), pass efficiency (187.5), and total passing yards (2,643), which broke the program record he set last season.
 
"He's an exceptional leader, an outstanding player. It's one thing to be the most talented player, but behind the scenes, he's also our hardest worker," manager of football operations and head coach Michael Faulds said.
 
"He is very humble, and he knows he doesn't have to put it all on his shoulders. He's got so many outstanding players, other all-stars around him that he just has to do his 1/12 of the job for us to be successful."
 
DAVID "TUFFY" KNIGHT AWARD – MICHAEL FAULDS
Faulds was awarded his third coach of the year award, his second in consecutive years after receiving the honour in 2023. He follows four-time winner, three-peat recipient from 2003-2005, Gary Jeffries as the only Laurier coaches to be given the award in back-to-back years.
 
Faulds led the Golden Hawks to an 8-0 season, marking his best record since taking the helm in 2013. Under his guidance, the purple and gold had the best total offence in the OUA and U SPORTS, and the second best defence in the conference, only allowing 22.5 points per game.
 
"It should be named 'staff of the year award'," Faulds said. "Starting with our defensive coordinator, coach Ron VanMoerkerke, offensive coordinator Todd Galloway, our dual-threat special teams coordinators Mike Daly and Matt Robichaud, and our offensive line coach and academic tracker Zach Sotto."
 
"I have the privilege to have, I think, the biggest OUA coaching staff. I'm here to accept the award of coach of the year, but it truly is staff of the year."
 
This is now the second time the Golden Hawks have the OUA's most valuable player and coach of the year in the same season, the first time as repeat awardees.
 
A legend of his own during his time as Western's quarterback, Faulds is a mentor and leader for his own pivot in Elgersma.
 
"Having a head coach who supports me the way he does, who I know has trust in me, and that allows me to play free, I can't say enough good things about Faulds. I love him and I'm so thankful for him as my head coach." Elgersma said.
 
UP NEXT
The Golden Hawks return home with two major awards and nine all-star players, but they have their eyes set on the Yates Cup, returning to the championship game in the second straight year against familiar foe the Western Mustangs.
 
"To have [the Yates Cup] in Waterloo at home with our fan base, it's going to be an exciting atmosphere," Faulds said. "We've got 10 degrees and sunshine, so no better for football fans to come out and watch an outstanding game."
 
"I think the experience that we've built as a group being in this situation last year, whether it was the Yates Cup or the 7-0 game, we showed that we can go on runs against this team and dominate for stretches of games," said Elgersma. "We need to make sure that we dominate for four quarters, it can't be a two quarter explosion this Saturday, it has to be full, complete four quarters of football."
 
Kickoff is set for 1pm Saturday at Knight-Newbrough Field.