Quinlan joins the huddle for CIS athlete of the year

For the second straight year, Marauders quarterback Kyle Quinlan will represent the Ontario University Athletics conference as one of eight finalists for the 21st annual BLG Awards.

The BLG Awards were established in 1993 to recognize the top female and male athletes from universities affiliated with Canadian Interuniversity Sport. CIS and law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) made the announcement on Wednesday.

On Monday, April 29, all nominees will be honoured at the John Bassett Theatre, in the Toronto Metro Convention Centre. One female and one male winner will receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship, while all finalists will return home with a commemorative gold ring.

Quinlan, a fifth-year quarterback from South Woodslee, Ont., claimed the Hec Crighton Trophy after he led the country with 19 touchdown passes in eight conference games, while adding seven rushing majors, tops among CIS pivots. The economics student helped the Marauders repeat as OUA champions and reach the Vanier Cup final for the second consecutive year.

Ten McMaster athletes have been nominated for a BLG award throughout its 21-year history, and past recipients include: Titus Channer (Basketball, 1998); Kojo Aidoo (Football, 2001); and Jesse Lumsden (Football, 2005).

The awards show will premiere on Sportsnet in May.The full list of nominees is below:

2013 Male BLG Award Nominees (Doug Mitchell Trophy):

AUS: Lucas Bloodoff, hockey, Saint Mary’s (Castlegar, B.C.)

RSEQ: David Tremblay, wrestling, Concordia (Stoney Point, Ont.)

OUA: Kyle Quinlan, football, McMaster (South Woodslee, Ont.)

CWUAA: Gagan Dosanjh, soccer, UBC (Abbotsford, B.C.)

2013 Female BLG Award Nominees (Jim Thompson Trophy):

AUS: Justine Colley, basketball, Saint Mary’s (East Preston, N.S.)

RSEQ: Mélodie Daoust, hockey, McGill (Valleyfield, Que.)

OUA: Britt Benn, rugby, Guelph (Napanee, Ont.)

CWUAA: Shanice Marcelle, volleyball, UBC (Victoria, B.C.)