FB: SSK's Nyhus named CW Player of the Year

CALGARY - Mason Nyhus has been named the 2022 CW Football Player of the Year after a dominant season at the helm of his Saskatchewan Huskies.

The conference unveiled its seven major award-winners Thursday, which also included UBC's Theo Benedet as the Outstanding Lineman, Regina's Ryder Varga and Mark McConkey as the Outstanding Defensive Player and Coach of the Year respectively and Manitoba's Vaughan Mitchell as the Gino Fracas Award nominee.

Saskatchewan added two more major award winners in Jack Warrack, who has earned Rookie of the Year and Ryker Frank, who has been recognized with the Student-Athlete Community Service award. ​

Each individual has proven absolute excellence in their field (read about each separately below).

The winners will go on as Canada West's nominations for the U SPORTS national awards.

For videos highlighting our award-winners, please visit our social media channels:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Mason Nyhus
​Team: Saskatchewan Huskies
​Position: Quarterback
​Year: Fifth
​Hometown: Regina, SK
​Program: Education

Nyhus was the unshakable leader of a nearly perfect Saskatchewan Huskies team that established itself as a force to be feared right away. The Huskies started the season 6-0, maintaining their place as favourites thanks to an offence that largely would not be denied. Nyhus was the engine behind the top scoring team in the conference, as they averaged 30.1 points per game.

Nyhus himself averaged an unthinkable 352 passing yards a game, more than a hundred more than the conference's second-place quarterback. His 18 passing touchdowns also led the league.

His season will live on in the CW record book, as the Regina product now ranks fifth for most pass yards in a season with 2759. That mark is the best all time for a Saskatchewan Huskie. His 197 pass completions also put him sixth in conference single-season records.

The fifth year capped off a career that also saw him crack the CW top 20 in career pass yards (6842), pass completions (487), career completion percentage (59.92) and touchdown passes (52).

Nyhus has exhibited his leadership skills, investing heavily in his team's success. A student of the game, he brings a professional approach that is respected across the league.

“I am so proud of Mason and what he has accomplished throughout his career with the Huskies. He is a phenomenal leader and embodies all we strive to achieve here at Huskie football. He is an outstanding young man on and off the field.”
​-Scott Flory, Saskatchewan Huskies head coach

Contact to arrange interviews: Heather Bury, heather.bury@usask.ca

OUTSTANDING LINEMAN: Theo Benedet
​Team: UBC Thunderbirds
​Position: Offensive lineman
​Year: Third
​Hometown: North Vancouver, BC
​Program: Arts

Benedet's talents and grit on the offensive line were so respected across the league, they earned him one of two unanimous selections on the CW Offensive All Star roster. The North Vancouver product was a major contributor in the Thunderbirds' success this season as the team now finds themselves in the Hardy Cup final.

A huge part of UBC’s conference-leading ground game, Benedet routinely provides lead blocks for his receivers and running backs. The third-year player went into the season ranked eighth on the CFL Draft prospect list, the highest of any U SPORTS athlete. Benedet lived up to the hype and more, proving himself as a game-changing lineman and bonafide leader for his young squad.

Benedet plays the game with a high IQ, which is equalled off the field is a multiple Academic All-Canadian.

“Theo’s had a tremendous year for us, he’s really starting to come into his own as a football player. There’s never been a question about his athleticism and his physical skillset, where it’s starting to become real exciting is he’s understanding the game better and that means his ceiling is going to become substantially higher in the next year or two. He has become one of the leaders on the O-line and the offensive in general. Again, this is something I think he still has room to be even better at. We’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of his potential.”
​-Blake Nill, UBC Thunderbirds head coach

Contact to arrange interviews: Jeff Sargeant, jeff.sargeant@ubc.ca

OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Ryder Varga
​Team: Regina Rams
​Position: Linebacker
​Year: Fifth
​Hometown: Regina, SK
​Program: Engineering & Applied Science

Ryder Varga was a menace for teams' offences in 2022, using his speed, agility and football IQ to thwart their progress all over the field.

The linebacker led the tough defence of the Regina Rams with 38.5 tackles. He tied a school record by forcing three fumbles while also registering 6.5 tackles for loss.

The fourth-year player showed he could really do it all by taking down opposing quarterbacks twice, grabbing an interception, recovering a fumble and blocking both a pass and attempted kick.

Varga, now a two-time Canada West all-star and a three-time Academic All-Canadian, was a selection of the BC Lions in the 2022 CFL Draft.

"Ryder is everything to us. He's a guy who makes everyone around him better and is the heart and soul of our defence. He can rush the passer and beat o-linemen if he needs to, he can drop into coverage, he can make tackles downfield. He does everything really well and the combination of skills and intangibles that he has is absolutely second to none." ​
​-Mark McConkey, Regina Rams head coach

Contact to arrange interviews: Braden Konschuh, braden.konschuh@uregina.ca

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jack Warrack
​Team: Saskatchewan Huskies
​Position: Offensive lineman
​Year: First
​Hometown: Strathmore, AB
​Program: Business

Jack Warrack has earned the CW Rookie of the Year award after proving his worth on the Saskatchewan Huskies' offensive line. The lineman is a physically tough customer who is able to quickly read plays and adjust on the fly.

Despite it being his first year in Canada West out of high school, Warrack rarely makes mistakes. His reliability has allowed him to start every game for the conference-leading Huskies. Warrack has proved his maturity and skill in his rookie season, while exhibiting his athletic talents at a high level.

The rookie continually improved all season, elevating his already-impressive game.

“For a young man to come right out of high school and start every game for us is remarkable. From the minute he stepped onto our field, we knew he was going to be a special player. Smart, tough, athletic, and coachable. He has a great work ethic and is always working towards getting better. We are so proud of him and excited to see his growth as an athlete.” ​
​-Scott Flory, Saskatchewan Huskies head coach

Contact to arrange interviews: Heather Bury, heather.bury@usask.ca

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD WINNER: Ryker Frank
​Team: Saskatchewan Huskies
​Position: Running back
​Year: Second
​Hometown: Regina, SK
​Program: Engineering

Frank has been recognized with the CW Student-Athlete Community Service award after a stellar season on and off the field.

On the field, he's an invaluable member of the conference-leading Saskatchewan Huskies who put up more than 750 yards in combined rushing and receiving this season.

In the classroom, he's a top scholar, earning a GPA of above 90 per cent in mechanical engineering.

Despite an intense football and school schedule, Frank finds time to give back to his community through various sporting initiatives. He volunteered to provide instruction and guidance to young athletes at football camps, and for people with disabilities through Special Olympics Unified Basketball. He has also volunteered to help with team managing duties with the LeBoldus Golden Suns basketball team and with Souls Harbour, serving food to those in need.

Frank has proven his leadership abilities on the turf and in his community, earning the trust and admiration of those around him.

“Ryker is a remarkable young man and an incredible student, with a passion for mentoring young athletes. He gives so much of his time back to our community, both here in Saskatoon and in his hometown of Regina. Saskatchewan is blessed to have a such an incredible mentor for our youth.”
​-Scott Flory, Saskatchewan Huskies head coach

Contact to arrange interviews: Heather Bury, heather.bury@usask.ca

Coach of the Year: Mark McConkey
​Team: Regina Rams
​Year: Second
​

Mark McConkey has been named the conference's Coach of the Year after leading a Regina Rams team that surpassed many preseason expectations and challenged for the top spot in CW.

McConkey's Rams were exciting to watch, coming up with big defensive and special teams plays. Their only two losses of the season came to the Huskies, and were close contests.

In just his second season as the Rams' head coach (the first with the interim tag removed), McConkey created a team culture and mentality revered across the west.

McConkey, who finished his playing career with the Rams just nine years ago, is one of the rising coaching stars in the world of Canadian football. He becomes the third U of R coach to earn Canada West Coach of the Year honours, joining Frank McCrystal (2007) and Steve Bryce (2016).

"We are extremely lucky to have Mark as our head coach. He not has only an incredible amount of football knowledge, but the ability to lead in an exceptionally positive manner that helps maximize the effort and ability of the players on his roster. I'm so grateful to have this terrific young coach as part of our team and I'm so happy he has earned this recognition." ​
​-Lisa Robertson, University of Regina Director of Sport, Community Engagement & Athlete Development

Contact to arrange interviews: Braden Konschuh, braden.konschuh@uregina.ca

GINO FRACAS AWARD NOMINEE: Vaughan Mitchell
​Team: Manitoba Bisons
​Year: Twenty-fourth
​

Vaughan Mitchell has been named the CW nominee for the Gino Fracas Award for the outstanding support he provides to both the Manitoba Bisons players and fellow coaching staff.

Mitchell, a Bisons alum himself, has worked in a variety of capacities for the team, first as the offensive line coach in 1997, before transitioning to the offensive coordinator. He has worked with the teams' running backs, before taking on extra responsibility as the run game and protections coordinator.

After taking a season off to focus on family, Vaughan returned to the Bisons in 2018 as an Offensive Consultant. In 2019, Vaughan began his third stint as Offensive Coordinator.

The Gino Fracas Award is presented by Football Canada annually to recognize the assistant coaches that provide endless hours to improve the experience for the players while providing support to other coaches. This award recognizes the key role that assistant coaches play in football, as they are instrumental to the success of programs across the country.

Mitchell is the quintessential example of this.

“With our volunteer coaches, to this day I cannot say enough great things about them. At this level to be a volunteer coach, there’s no alternative but to immerse yourself in it. “You really can’t be a good coach at this level, even as a volunteer, without really embracing the team and the program and that’s what Vaughan has done for well over two decades for the Bisons football program.”
​-Gene Muller, Bisons Athletic Director

Contact to arrange interviews: Michael Still, michael.still@umanitoba.ca