HAMILTON, Ont. - The OUA awards luncheon at Tim Horton's Field saw three Golden Hawks bring home the conference's major awards for the 2025 football season.  

This was the first time in program history that the Golden Hawks have had the Larry Haylor, President's Trophy, and David "Tuffy" Knight winners in the same season, and sixth program to do so since the President's Trophy was introduced in 1980. 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – ETHAN JORDAN 

The Larry Haylor Award has once again found its way back into the hands of a Golden Hawk as Ethan Jordan was named the OUA MVP, and became the eighth Golden Hawk to win and first Laurier receiver since Kurleigh Gittens Jr. In 2017. 

"Everyone was disappointed for Ethan when he got let go from the Ottawa Redblacks, but he came back motivated, he came back as a leader for us. He came back mature and was an outstanding receiver. To go back-to-back 1,000-yard and 10 touchdown seasons, it's simply special," manager of football operations and head coach Michael Faulds said.  

This also marked the first time any program has had the MVP in three straight seasons.  

Jordan, a four-time OUA all-star and three-time U SPORTS All-Canadian, had a career year and set new records in 2025.  

His 1,066 receiving yards were a career high in a single season, and it was his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. Jordan led the team and league in receiving yards for the fourth straight year.  

He broke the Laurier football program's career receiving yards record this season with 3,458, and now has the second-most career yards in OUA history.  

"I'm just blessed and grateful," Jordan said. "It was such an honour for Taylor [Elgersma] to come in and present the award to me." 

"It was such a special moment, especially to have my teammates in the building, Michael Faulds, my family was here. Football's a team game, and I wouldn't be here receiving this award today without my teammates. It's something I can look back on and feel proud of myself for." 

Jordan's 10 touchdowns this season led all OUA receivers for the third straight year, and led his team for the fourth straight. He broke the program record for career receiving touchdowns with 30, and also has the second most in OUA history.  

He had 68 receptions on the season, again leading his team for the fourth year in a row, and it was the fourth-most single season receptions in OUA history. It puts him at 239 career receptions, which is a new program and OUA record.  

Jordan had a career best 133.3 receiving yards per game thanks to his six games with over 100-yards. He has led the OUA and his team in this category for three and four straight years, respectively.  

"I started playing football when I was in grade two. I've had so many different mentors, but it's my father. He started the Chatham rep program, and he allowed me to play football in that region. He played for McMaster in the 90s, and I fell in love with the game because of him." 

OUTSTANDING STAND-UP DEFENSIVE PLAYER – JESSIE WILKINS 

Linebacker Jessie Wilkins was awarded the President's Trophy for the league's outstanding stand-up defensive player. He became the 11th Golden Hawk to win and first since Nakas Onyeka in 2016.  

"Jessie is a hard-nosed linebacker. We recruited him out of the Windsor area as a defensive lineman, and he didn't start as a linebacker until his second year. But he took on that role, and there was no looking back," Faulds said.  

"It's very meaningful," Wilkins said. "Just knowing that all the work that has went into it, like there's been many nights where I was by myself putting in the work." 

"I have the award, but I couldn't have it without my whole defense and the coaches. I'm just grateful that they took a big chance in me and they put the trust in me to lead this defense." 

It was a career year for Wilkins as he set a new personal best, and led the team, in total tackles with 40.5, was first in the OUA in fumble recoveries with four, and ranked in the league's top 15 in solo, assisted, and total tackles.  

"It was different growing up. It's all about knowing that if I got through those things as a kid, that I can get through anything. And for me, I have kids back home that I coach, and cousins, and brothers, and sisters, and they all look up to me. It's about me being able to show them that no matter what you came from or where you came from, you can be anything you want to be." 

COACH OF THE YEAR – MICHAEL FAULDS 

Laurier's manager of football operations and head coach Michael Faulds was reacquainted with the David "Tuffy" Knight Award for the conference's coach of the year. Faulds, last season's Frank Tindall Trophy recipient, has now completed the three-peat after winning in 2023 and 2024.  

Faulds became just the second OUA head coach to win the "Tuffy" Knight Award three years in a row, with the other being Laurier's Gary Jeffries from 2003-2005. He is also the program's 11th head coach to win, and has received the award four times in his career.  

Under Faulds, the Golden Hawks secured their second straight undefeated season, and in the process reached 61 career regular season coaching wins and 71 overall in his 11th season and 12th year at Laurier.  

He passed Jeffries for second all-time in Laurier football coaching history in regular season and career wins, and only trails David "Tuffy" Knight, who recorded 85 and 99, respectively.  

The Golden Hawks had the best point differential in the OUA at +197, were first in total offense (4,022), yards per game (509.4), passing touchdowns (28), and red zone offense, while second in total points scored (355), and allowed the second-fewest points (158) and points per game (19.8). 

"It's special. The people I've been able to surround myself with, coach VanMoerkerke, coach Galloway, coach Daly, coach Robichaud, coach Scotto. I can't name them all, there's 20 of us on the staff team. They're the real masterminds," Faulds said.