QUEBEC CITY – A trio of UBC Thunderbirds have been named All-Canadians Thursday night at the annual Vanier Cup gala. Fourth year free safety Stavros Katsantonis and second year linebacker Ben Hladik were both named to the first team All-Canadian defensive squad while fourth year receiver Trivel Pinto earned a first team nod on offence while also being recognized for his kick returning abilities on the second team special teams list.

It's the third straight appearance on the first team All-Canadian list for Katsantonis. The fourth year defensive back tied for the Canada West interceptions lead with three while averaging 4.1 tackles per game.



Hladik has been named an All-Canadian for the first time in his U SPORTS career in just his second season. The Vernon, B.C. native finished the season with 49.5 total tackles, the second highest total in the Canada West. Hladik also amassed three sacks and a conference leading three fumble recoveries and won the 2018 Canada West Outstanding Defensive Player award.

"I'm very proud of myself but I couldn't have done it without my teammates especially my defensive line, I have to give them a shout out," said Hladik who was the only T-Birds player who was able to head out east and be in attendance at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City to collect his award. "They held the double teams for me all year, creating holes for me to shoot as well as the secondary holding the deep pass down the whole year. I also couldn't have done it without head coach Blake Nill and defensive coordinator Pat Tracey, I thought there support and belief in me and their leadership throughout the whole season, they've been a huge help over first two years here at UBC and I hope it continues and keeps going up from here."



Pinto earns a first team All-Canadian nod for the second straight year after setting a new single-season Canada West record with 67 total receptions, despite missing a game due to injury. The fourth-year wide out led the conference with 130.9 average yards receiving. His 1,503 all-purpose yards was also tops in the Canada West in a season that saw him finish with six touchdown catches.

The Toronto, Ontario product also led the conference in average kick returns with 22.1 yards while also amassing 255 punt return yards.


 
FIRST TEAM
 
Offence
 

Pos.	First Name	Last Name	School	Elig.	Hometown	Program
C	Samuel	Lefebvre	Laval	3	Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon, Que.	Business Administration
G	Samuel	Thomassin	Laval	4	Quebec City, Que.	Business Administration
G	David	Brown	Western	5	London, Ont.	Science
T	Logan	Bandy	Calgary	2	Calgary, Alta.	Kinesiology
T	Kétel	Assé	Laval	3	Quebec City, Que.	Teaching Physical & Health Education
REC	Tyler	Ternowski	Waterloo	3	Hamilton, Ont.	Economics
REC	Trivel	Pinto	UBC	4	Toronto, Ont.	Arts
REC	Kurleigh	Gittens Jr.	Laurier	4	Ottawa, Ont.	Sociology
REC	Kaion	Julien-Grant	StFX	4	Toronto, Ont.	Human Kinetics
RB	Cedric	Joseph	Western	4	Montreal, Que.	King's College
RB	Tyler	Chow	Saskatchewan	5	Calgary, Alta.	Arts & Science
QB	Adam	Sinagra	Calgary	4	Pointe Claire, Que.	Arts

 
Defence
 

DT	Vincent	Desjardins	Laval	4	Quebec City, Que.	Civil Engineering
DT	Evan	Machibroda	Saskatchewan	4	Saskatoon, Sask.	Engineering
DE	Mathieu	Betts	Laval	4	Montreal, Que.	Teaching Physical & Health Education
DE	Kene	Onyeka	Carleton	5	Brampton, Ont.	Mechanical Engineering
LB	Fraser	Sopik	Western	4	Toronto, Ont.	Social Science
LB	Ben	Hladik	UBC	2	Vernon, B.C.	Arts
LB	Brian	Harelimana	Montreal	3	Laval, Que.	Arts & Sciences
FS	Stavros	Katsantonis	UBC	4	Bakersfield, Calif.	Arts
HB	Marc-Antoine	Dequoy	Montreal	3	Île Bizard, Que.	Computer Science
HB	Will	Amoah	Laurier	3	Kitchener, Ont.	Arts
CB	Jamie	Harry	Ottawa	4	Lachine, Que.	Sociology
CB	Deane	Leonard	Calgary	2	Calgary, Alta.	Business

 
Special Teams
 

P	Brad	Mikoluff	Manitoba	5	Beausejour, Man.	General Studies
PK	Niko	DiFonte	Calgary	3	Winnipeg, Man.	Arts
RET	Kurleigh	Gittens Jr.	Laurier	4	Ottawa, Ont.	Sociology

SECOND TEAM


Offence
 

Pos.	First Name	Last Name	School	Elig.	Hometown	Program
C	Jonathan	Zamora	StFX	3	Toronto, Ont.	Business Administration
G	Mattland	Riley	Saskatchewan	3	Melfort, Sask.	Engineering
G	Jacob	Czaja	StFX	5	Sudbury, Ont.	Business Administration
T	Jesse	Gibbon	Waterloo	4	Hamilton, Ont.	Environmental Management
T	Carter	O'Donnell	Alberta	3	Red Deer, Alta.	Education
REC	Hunter	Karl	Calgary	4	Okotoks, Alta.	Arts
REC	Régis	Cibasu	Montreal	5	Kinshasa, Congo	Business
REC	Dylan	Schrot	Manitoba	5	Winnipeg, Man.	Arts
REC	Gordon	Lam	Waterloo	2	Kitchener, Ont.	Recreation & Leisure
RB	Jordan	Socholotiuk	StFX	5	Waterford, Ont.	Arts
RB	Gabriel	Polan	Sherbrooke	4	Montreal, Que.	Management
QB	Hugo	Richard	Laval	5	Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que.	Mechanical Engineering

 
Defence
 

DT	Trevaughan	James	Laurier	4	Whitby, Ont.	Kinesiology / Physical Education
DT	Thomas	Grant	Acadia	4	Halifax, N.S.	Business Administration
DE	Joel	Van Pelt	Calgary	5	Lethbridge, Alta.	Science
DE	Tristian	Koronkiewicz	Saskatchewan	5	Regina, Sask.	Education
LB	Boston	Rowe	Calgary	5	Calgary, Alta.	Business
LB	Brad	Herbst	Saint Mary's	5	Ottawa, Ont.	Criminology
LB	Lukas	Korol	Guelph	5	Dundas, Ont.	Leadership & Organizational Management
FS	Daniel	Valente	Western	2	London, Ont.	Social Science
HB	Shae	Weekes	Manitoba	2	St. Adolphe, Man.	General Studies
HB	Nate	Rostek	Mount Allison	5	Stillwater Lake, N.S.	Psychology
CB	Émile	Chênevert	Laval	3	Quebec City, Que.	Medicine
CB	Bleska	Kambamba	Western	3	London, Ont.	Kinesiology

 
Special Teams
 

P	Marc	Liegghio	Western	3	Woodbridge, Ont.	King's College
PK	David	Côté	Laval	2	Quebec City, Que.	Teaching Physical & Health Education
RET	Trivel	Pinto	UBC	4	Toronto, Ont.	Arts