BURLINGTON, Ont. - Laurier football running back Tayshaun Jackson has been named an OUA Athlete of the Week along with Guelph women's soccer forward Olivia Rizakos and York Lions kicker Nathan Walker for the period ending August 30, 2026.

Third-year running back and geography major Jackson, from Windsor, Ont., played a pivotal role in leading the #4-ranked Laurier Golden Hawks to a 33-28 season-opening victory over the Guelph Gryphons.

Jackson rushed for a game-high 105 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries while adding 14 receiving yards. He also delivered one of the most electrifying plays of the weekend, returning a missed 51-yard field goal attempt 120 yards for a touchdown to tie the game early in the second quarter.

The return marked the second 120-yard missed field goal return of Jackson's career, after he first accomplished the feat against Windsor in 2024. It also made him just the second Golden Hawk in program history to return a missed field goal 120 yards for a touchdown, joining Lonny Taylor, who achieved the feat against Western in 1992.

In total, Jackson accumulated 359 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in his 2026 debut.

More information about this week's award recipients can be found at oua.ca