Bishop's Gaiters 2010 Football Prospectus

The Bishop’s Gaiters football team enters the 2010 season looking to better last season’s 0.500 record and third-place finish. The Gaiters won their last three regular season games to finish third in the QUFL at 4-4, a finish that defied most preseason expectations. For the first time in a number of years, the Gaiters can be considered a veteran squad, with experience at each of the starting positions, lead by fifth-year quarterback Jesse Andrews. While the losses of Shawn Gore and Steven Turner to the professional ranks, and Wes Rundle and Nick Rigg to graduation will be felt, the Gaiters’ increased depth over the past few years should begin to pay dividends.

“I feel very good about our athletes and our program right now. We have some excellent returning players, and I think we have a good group of young players as well. A lot of these guys can step in and play right away,” said Gaiters’ Head Coach Leroy Blugh. “I think the fans will see some things from our offence that they haven’t seen before.”

by John Edwards
Gaiters.ca

Box Score

LENNOXVILLE, Que. – A 17-point, nine-rebound performance by Sean McNally and a double-double by Malachi Peay led the Maine Black Bears to an 81-54 victory over the Bishop’s Gaiters in a non-conference men’s basketball game tonight at the Mitchell Gym. McNally went six-for-seven from the field, while Peay scored 13 points and grabbed a game-high ten rebounds as the Black Bears cruised to the victory on the first game of their Canadian tour.

For Bishop’s (0-1), Oraine Green (Toronto, Ont.) led the Gaiters with 12 points, on four three-pointers. Forward Matt McLean (Ottawa, Ont.) scored 11 points in his first game as a Gaiter. Tim Hunter scored nine points, and led the Gaiters with five rebounds.

Box Score

LENNOXVILLE, Que. – Amber Smith’s 21 points and a double-double from Corinne Wellington led the Maine Black Bears to an 83-57 victory over the Bishop’s Gaiters in exhibition women’s basketball action tonight at the Mitchell Gym. Wellington scored 18 points, and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds for the Black Bears, who won their second straight game on their Canadian tour.

LENNOXVILLE, Que. – Alex Perno, the Head Coach of the Bishop’s Gaiters Women’s Basketball team, announced the Gaiters’ 2010 recruiting class today. The eight-person incoming class has a local flavour, with Gabrielle Chamberland joining the team from the Cégep de Sherbrooke and Joannie Boucher moving from the Champlain Cougars. In total, the class includes four recruits from Quebec, three from Ontario and one from New Brunswick.

The team is changing with these players,” said Perno. “This team has the potential to play very smart basketball. I am pleased with the direction our program is taking.”

LENNOXVILLE, Que. – Jacquie Laidler, a second-year prop / centre with the Bishop’s Gaiters women’s rugby team, made her second appearance for the Canadian Under-20 Women’s National Team yesterday. Laidler was a substitute as Team Canada downed the Caribbean Selects 43-0 in the opening game of the North American Caribbean Rugby Association championship in Nassau, Bahamas.

LENNOXVILLE, Que. – Bishop’s Gaiters basketball will get an early start to the season next week, as they host the University of Maine, an NCAA Division I school, in non-conference action. The women’s game is set for Friday, August 20, while the men will play on Tuesday, August 24. Both games are 7 p.m. starts at the Mitchell Gym.

 LENNOXVILLE, Que. – Shawn Gore of the Bishop's University Gaiters football team has signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. The signing was announced by the Packers last night, after the conclusion of their rookie orientation camp. Gore is one of only three tryout players who were signed to a contract by the club.

Gore, the reigning Bishop's Male Athlete of the Year, is the third player to sign with an NFL team after attending Bishop's, following running back Jamall Lee, who signed with the Carolina Panthers last season, and offensive lineman Mark Hatfield, who signed with the Miami Dolphins in 1995.

LENNOXVILLE, Que., May 2, 2010 – Shawn Gore (Toronto, Ont.), Steven Turner (Brampton, Ont.) and Justin Conn (New Maryland, N.B.) have been chosen in the 2010 Canadian Football League Draft. Gore was chosen in the second round, tenth overall, by the B.C. Lions, while Turner went in the 4th round, 30th overall by the Toronto Argonauts and Conn went in the sixth round (47th overall) to the Montreal Alouettes. This is the second consecutive year, and the 21st year overall, that the Gaiters have had multiple players selected in the CFL's annual selection meeting, and the first time since 1995 that three Gaiters have been chosen.

The selection of Gore, Turner and Conn brings to 60 the number of Gaiters that have been selected in the CFL draft (including territorial exemptions). The Gaiters are one of only six teams to have had five or more players selected in the past two CFL drafts (Regina has had six picks, while Queen's, Simon Fraser, St. Francis Xavier and Montreal have each had five).

LENNOXVILLE, Que. – Steven Turner of the Bishop's University Gaiters football team has reached a tryout agreement with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. The signing came today, following last week's NFL Draft.

Turner, a fourth-year receiver and kick returner, is the second current Gaiter to gain an NFL tryout, and the third in the past two seasons, following Shawn Gore (Green Bay, 2010) and Jamall Lee (Carolina, 2009).