KINGSTON, Ont. – Four UBC Thunderbirds have been honoured as All-Canadians as the 2024 U SPORTS Football awards were handed out Thursday evening in Kingston ahead of Saturday's Vanier Cup Championship game.
Fifth-year defensive back
Jerrell Cummings earned first team All-Canadian status following a tremendous season that saw the Vancouver native come up with two interceptions, while tying for the conference lead with six pass breakups. Cummings also amassed 25 total tackles and a fumble recovery.
Receiver
Sam Davenport was named a second team All-Canadian along with linebackers
Mitchell Townsend and
Chase Henning.
Competing in his second year with UBC, Davenport led the T-Birds with 618 receiving yards, the third highest total in the conference. Scoring two touchdowns in the regular season, the Abbotsford native also finished third in Canada West receptions with 40. As he did in the blue and gold's 2023 post-season run, Davenport saved his best for when it mattered most, racking up 162 yards and a touchdown in UBC's Hardy Cup semifinal game against the Huskies.
Drafted last spring by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Townsend returned to the T-Birds after his first CFL training camp and was a critical leader on defence once again. The North Vancouver product led the T-Birds with 53 total tackles – third most in the conference – while his 37 solo tackles was the second highest total. Townsend also had a pair of sacks and added another seven tackles in the Hardy Cup semifinal.
Named to the second team All-Canadian special teams squad, Henning finished his second Canada West season with 20.5 total tackles. The Salmon Arm Secondary graduate was impactful every week, but never more-so than in UBC's week three turning point of the season, amassing six total tackles in the T-Birds' road win at Regina.
