Mount Allison Mounties

Mt. A Mounties
University Mount Allison University
Association U Sports
Conference Atlantic University Sport
Location Sackville, New Brunswick
Football stadium Alumni Field
Arena Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre
Mascot Duck
Colours Garnet and Gold
         
Website mountiepride.ca

The Mount Allison Mounties are the varsity athletic teams that represent Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.

The Mounties sports teams play their matches at Alumni field which seats 2,500.[1][2]

Athletics and recreations

The Mount Allison University Athletics & Recreation is led by Pierre Arsenault.

Arsenault came to Mount Allison from the New Brunswick Golf Association, where he served as Executive Director for seven years. Prior to this, Arsenault worked with Hockey Canada’s Atlantic Centre of Excellence, the Saskatchewan Hockey Association, and with the University of Ottawa’s Gee-Gees Varsity Hockey Team. He holds a Bachelor of Physical Education (concentration in sports administration) from the University of New Brunswick and a master's degree in sport administration from the University of Ottawa.[3]

Varsity teams

Mount Allison Mounties teams compete in:

In 1977, Garney Henley, a former Canadian Football League player with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, became Athletics Director at Mount Allison and changed the logo from the "Double-Winged" A to the famous "Flying A" which remained the Mounties' logo until 2011. The Flying A became synonymous with Mounties athletics, and was arguably the most recognizable aspect of the department and the University.

In 2011, the University's administration undertook a re-branding initiative that would be campus-wide, stretching into the athletics department as well. Adopting a new, more modern look became the goal, and thus the current logo with an "A" adorned with a flame/torch was born. Taken from the University's crest, the flame, which also forms a stylized "A", along with the slanted font spelling "MOUNTIES" below the logo became the new look for the Mounties. Along with a new partnership with popular brand UnderArmour, it introduced the Mounties to the 21st century, and spearheaded by Athletics Director Pierre Arsenault became the one identity among all of the Mounties' varsity sports teams.

During the 2012 AUS Women's Hockey Playoffs, a new movement emerged on the Social Media website Twitter, when it is believed the phrase #MountiePride was first used in a popular fashion. Since then, the movement has leaped to new heights, and is now considered to be a part of this new identity, and a trademark of the Mounties teams.

Mounties Football

Mount Allison Mounties
Mount Allison Mounties logo
First season 1955
Athletic director Pierre Arsenault
Head coach Peter Fraser
1st year, 0–0–0  (–)
Other Staff Gaétan Richard (OC & Quarterbacks)
Home Stadium Alumni Field
Stadium capacity 2500
Stadium surface Field Turf
Location Sackville, New Brunswick
League U Sports
Conference AUS (1955 - present)
Past associations AUAA (1974-1998)
All-time record 161–193–0 (.455)
Postseason record – 
Tournaments
Vanier Cups 0
Atlantic Bowls 2
1984, 1991
Jewett Trophies 6
1984, 1985, 1991, 1997, 2013, 2014
Hec Crighton winners 2
Éric Lapointe (2)
Current uniform
Colours Garnet and Gold
         
Website mountiepride.ca

The Mount Allison Mounties football program is in its 63rd year of active competition as of the 2017 U Sports football season.[4] The team has twice appeared in the Vanier Cup, once in 1984, and again in 1991, losing both times. The Mounties have won six conference championships in 14 appearances, including four straight from 2013-2016. Only one Mounties player has won the Hec Crighton Trophy, Canadian Football Hall of Fame member, Éric Lapointe, who won the award twice and has since had his number retired by the program.[5]

Recent history

The Mounties have made the playoffs five times in the past six years, only missing the playoffs in 2017 despite a 4-4 record. The Mounties finished second in the AUS conference in 2010 and hosted their first home playoff game (conference semi-finals) since the new millennium.[6] In 2013, the Mounties won the Loney Bowl for the first time since 1997. They followed up that campaign with their first undefeated season in the AUS, posting an 8-0 record en route to their second consecutive Jewett Trophy championship.[7] In 2015, the Mounties would finish first place in the AUS regular season with a 5-3 record and host the Loney Bowl for the second consecutive season. They were also looking to win their third consecutive Jewett Trophy but would end up falling short to the St. Francis Xavier X-Men 24-18. 2016 would be the first season with Scott Brady as the team's new Head Coach. The team ended up making the playoffs as the second place team. They would defeat the Acadia Axemen 27-18 to compete in their fourth straight Loney Bowl but would end up losing to the St. Francis Xavier X-Men 29-8. In 2017, the team would see their five year playoff streak come to an end as they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Recent regular season results

SeasonGamesWonLostTiesPCTPFPAStandingPlayoffs
200081700.1251002364th in AUSOut of playoffs
200181700.125473304th in AUSOut of playoffs
200281700.125603344th in AUSOut of playoffs
200380800.000662794th in AUSOut of playoffs
200480800.000642484th in AUSOut of playoffs
200580800.000233794th in AUSOut of playoffs
200672500.2861322254th in AUSLost to Acadia Axemen in semi-final 16-6
200781700.1251992954th in AUSOut of playoffs
200882600.2501892723rd in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 52-12
200980800.0001243484th in AUSOut of playoffs
201084400.5001571962nd in AUSLost to Acadia Axemen in semi-final 22-14 (5OT)
201180800.0001463444th in AUSOut of playoffs
201283500.3751412503rd in AUSLost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 49-11
201384400.5001662152nd in AUSDefeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 19-10
Defeated Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 20-17
Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in Uteck Bowl 48-21
201488001.000234641st in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 29-7
Lost to McMaster Marauders in Mitchell Bowl 24-12
201585300.6252211441st in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 24-18
201683500.3751572382nd in AUSDefeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 27-18
Lost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 29-8
201784400.5002352114th in AUSOut of playoffs

Mounties in the CFL

As of the start of the 2018 CFL season, two former Mounties players are on CFL teams' rosters:

Former Mountie player (1991–93) and assistant coach (1994–97) Ted Goveia has been in the CFL for a number of years, currently holding the post of Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Coaching staff

The Mount Allison Mounties Football team was led by Scott Brady from 2016-2017. Brady was the first permanent head coach in the program’s recent history who was both a Mount Allison graduate and former player for the Mounties. Brady had been on the Mounties coaching staff for six years. After a four-year playing career as an Academic All-Canadian, running back/receiver (2006–09), Brady became the defensive back coach and special teams coach in 2010, coaching All-Canadian cornerback Bradley Daye. In 2011, Brady was promoted to defensive coordinator and has since coached All-Canadian defensive tackle Jacob Leblanc (2012) and All-Canadian free safety Kwame Adjei (2013) as well as 11 Conference All-Stars. In 2013 and 2014, Brady helped lead the Mounties to back-to-back AUS Championships, the first since the 1998 season.

Notable athletes

  • Rick Black (’63) (Football) played fullback and was drafted in the first round of the CFL draft by the Ottawa Rough Riders.
  • Philippe Girard (’98) (Football) Girard was a force to be reckoned with defensively for the Mounties, patrolling the secondary from his defensive back position. A league All-Star and All-Canadian in 1996 and 1997, Girard was also a nominee for the President's Trophy as the country's Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 1997, winning the Atlantic Conference's honour in that category. The following spring, in the 1998 Canadian Footbal League's (CFL) Canadian College Draft, he became the highest-drafted Mountie ever, going in the first round 5th overall to the Edmonton Eskimos. He played there for several seasons before joining former Mountie teammate Eric Lapointe as a member of Montreal Alouettes, retiring as a member of the Alouettes.
  • Eric Lapointe (’00) (Football) represents more than just records and statistics, although he dominated both areas of the sport during his four years as a Mountie. He was looked to by his teammates for on-field and locker-room inspiration, and he did not disappoint. Drafted by the Edmonton Eskimos, Lapointe ended up with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1999 where he rushed for 691 yards during the season, helping his team to the Grey Cup in which he was the game's leading ground gainer. Traded to Toronto, he ultimately ended his career with his hometown Montreal Alouettes. In his final season he was the starting running back in the Grey Cup game. Eric retired with the Alouettes in 2006 after their Grey Cup loss to the BC Lions.[8] In 2012 he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame for his career as a Mountie.
  • Gary Ross (’11) (Football) The football team’s most valuable player in recent years, Ross had an unprecedented football season in 2009, breaking several school and conference records along the way. Leading the league in most of the special teams and receiving categories, the five-foot-nine Ross was selected as the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference’s MVP and was a strong nominee for the nation’s most outstanding player award — the Hec Crighton Trophy. While he narrowly missed this honour he was still recognized with two All-Canadian awards for the second consecutive season. A four-time AUS Player of the Week, he was named both as a first-team Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) All-Canadian inside receiver, and a second-team CIS All-Canadian return specialist. He led the Atlantic conference in receptions (60), receiving yards (818 yards), receiving touchdowns (four), and all-purpose yards (1,423 yards). He has been an all-star receiver and the conference’s top special teams player in each of his four years at Mount Allison, and is now the AUS career leader in receptions (172), receiving yards (2,582), and all-purpose yards (5,990 yards). This season he was the only Atlantic conference player to average over 100 yards receiving per game (102.2 yards per game) and his 60 receptions are also a new AUS single-season record, smashing the previous mark of 48. His 818 receiving yards are a new Mounties’ single-season school record and the fourth highest total in league history. He currently ranks second in AUS history with 1,679 career punt return yards and 1,403 career kickoff return yards.[9]
  • John Reardon ('97) (football) Canadian all-star player for Mount Allison who became an actor for television and film.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "World Stadiums - Stadiums in Canada :: New Brunswick". Archived from the original on 2006-11-11. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-07-08. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 2007 Home Coming Game boxscore
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  5. ↑ "Éric Lapointe jersey retirement headlines Homecoming". 2013-09-13. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-02-18. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  7. ↑ Mounties Complete Undefeated Regular Season With 18-10 Win Over StFX
  8. ↑ http://alumni.mta.ca/htmltonuke.php?filnavn=/alumni/football_fund_prof.html
  9. ↑ http://athletics.mta.ca/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=208%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
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