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Mount Allison Mounties

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Football stadium
  
Alumni Field

University
  
Mount Allison University

Association
  
Canadian Interuniversity Sport

Conference
  
Atlantic University Sport

Location
  
Sackville, New Brunswick

Arena
  
Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre

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

Contents

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

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.

Varsity teams

Mount Allison Mounties teams compete in:

  • Badminton (m/w)
  • Basketball (m/w)
  • Football (m)
  • Ice Hockey (w)
  • Soccer (m/w)
  • Swimming (m/w)
  • Volleyball (w)

    • In 1977, Garney Henley, a former Canadian Football League player with the Hamilton T-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

    The Mount Allison Mounties football program is in its 62nd year of active competition as of the 2016 CIS football season. The team has twice appeared in the Vanier Cup, once in 1984, and again in 1991, losing both times. Recently, the Mounties have made the playoffs four times in the past five years (2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014). The Mounties finished second in the AUS conference in 2010 and hosted their first home playoff game (conference semi-finals) since the new millennium. 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.

    Recent playoff results

  • 2006: Lost to Acadia Axemen in semi-final 16-6
  • 2007: Out of playoffs
  • 2008: Lost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 52-12
  • 2009: Out of playoffs
  • 2010: Lost to Acadia Axemen in semi-final 22-14 (5OT)
  • 2011: Out of playoffs
  • 2012: Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 49-11
  • 2013: Defeated 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
  • 2014: Defeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 29-7
    Lost to McMaster Marauders in Mitchell Bowl 24-12
  • 2015: Lost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 24-18
  • 2016: Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 27-18
    Lost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 29-8

    • Mounties in the CFL

    As of the end of the 2016 CFL season, one former Mounties player is on a CFL team's rosters:

  • Mike Filer, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

    • 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 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

    Former Mountie player (1998-2000) and assistant coach (2002–04) Paul Charbonneau is the assistant offensive line coach with Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

    Former Mountie Head Coach Kelly Jeffrey (2008-2016) is the current Special Teams Coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts.

    Coaching staff

    The Mount Allison Mounties Football team is led by head coach Scott Brady.

    Brady is the first permanent head coach in the program’s recent history who is both a Mount Allison graduate and former player for the Mounties.

    Brady has 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.

    In 2014, Brady served as the defensive back and special teams coach for the U-18 National Team that defeated Team USA 53-9 in the International Bowl. Earlier that year he also served as the defensive coordinator of the East team at the 2013 CIS East/West game in London, ON, as the defensive line coach for the IFAF World Development Team in Bradenton, Florida, and as defensive coordinator for U-18 Team New Brunswick. In 2011, he was a guest coach with the Toronto Argonauts, working primarily with the defensive line.

    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. 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.

    • References

    Mount Allison Mounties Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA