UBC Thunderbirds Football and the TFA are proud to announce nine inductees as Frank Gnup Wall of Honour class of 2026.

Builders: Michael MacKay-Dunn | Paul Orazietti
Athletes: George Brajcich | Jay Gard | Tom Vlasic | Andrew Walters | Andrew Butschler | Sam Carino | Brandon Deschamps 

BUILDERS

Michael MACKAY-DUNN | LB:  Varsity letterman 75.76.77 | Hardy Cup Champion ('76), Hardy Cup finalist ('77). 3-time Most Inspirational Player ('75,'76,'77). Defensive Co-Captain (1976-77). Named to the Thunderbirds 1970s All-Decade Team.

Assistant and Head Coach | Meraloma Junior football, 2-time provincial champions (1978-79), BC Junior Football Executive (1979-83). Named to the BCJFL 50^th yr. Anniversary-Dream Team. Won the BC-AAA high school championship at Rick Hansen S.S as an assistant coach ('04). Honoured as the Head coach | Earl Marriott Mariners HS at the 2015 BC Lions Orange Helmet Awards as back-to-back tier-2 provincial champions (2014-15). Recipient of the Outstanding Canadian Citizen Award by the City of White Rock for his leadership, teaching and advocacy with the First Nations program ('18).   



Paul ORAZIETTI | FB:  Hardy Cup-Atlantic Bowl-Vanier Cup champion ('97), Special Teams Coord., (2009-16), recruiting Coord., (2009-18), Associate Head Coach and Off. Coord., ('17). Hardy Cup-Uteck Bowl-Vanier Cup champion ('15).

RB coach | Team Canada Gold-Medalist at the IFAF under-19 World Championships, Harbin China ('16). Head coach | Team Canada Under-15 team (2011-14), Special Teams Coord | Team BC (2014-16), U SPORTS East West Bowl (2015-16). Director of UBC-HS engagement | VPD gang tackle program, athlete blood donations, campus safe walk program,  athletics liaison. Director of community football camps and clinics.  CFL: Guest coach Calgary-BC Lions (2012-'13, '16). Named Athletic Director of Sault College ('19), brought 4-National Championships in Hockey (2019-26), founded the Sault College CJFL Football Team ('25). UBC coaching accolades | 20-Special Teams school records, 16-Conference All-Stars, 14-CFL draft picks, 6-CIS All-Canadians.



ATHLETES

George BRAJCICH | OL-DL: 4-year varsity letterman 63.64.65.66 and a two-sport athlete | Star lineman played on both sides of the ball and was the first Thunderbird to be named a 3-time team captain ('64,'65,'66). Freshman on the CWIAU-Hardy Cup championship squad ('62), 2-time Hardy Cup finalist ('64-'66), recipient of the Shrum Award as the Most Outstanding Player and the Dr. Burke Memorial Award as the Most Inspirational Player ('66). Honourable mention NAIA Evergreen Conference All-Star ('63). 

CFL: Drafted 2nd Rd. 11^th overall | BC Lions ('67). NFL: Invited to the San Francisco 49ers training camp ('67), named to the T-Birds 1960s All-Decade team ('20), Honourable mention | UBC All-Century team ('24).



Jay GARD | QB: Varsity letterman 81.82.83 | 2-time Shrum Bowl champion ('81,'82), Hardy Cup, Atlantic Bowl-Vanier Cup champion ('82), Hardy Cup finalist ('81,'83). Led the WIFL conference in TD passes-12 ('82), led the CIAU in aver. pts per game-37.0 and total pts-294 ('82). Led UBC to a 15-game unbeaten streak and two consecutive WIFL first place standings ('81,'82). Led UBC in all passing categories | yards, completions, attempts and TD's ('81,'82,'83) including longest TD pass-64 yards vs. SSK., Oct. 10^th ('81) and a single game best 17 of 24 | 70.8% and 269 yards vs. ALB., Oct. 29^th ('83).  Career Stats: Won 25-games, passed for 3,202-yards and 20-TDs.  Named to the Thunderbirds top-100 ('16), 1980s All-Decade team ('20).



Tom VLASIC | TE:  1984.85.86.88.89 | Hardy Cup-Central Bowl-Vanier Cup champion ('86). Shrum Bowl champion ('88), Offensive Co-Captain ('89),  Hardy Cup finalist ('89). UBC Athletics Bobby Gaul Memorial-Trophy | Graduating Male Athlete of the Year ('90), led UBC with the most receptions in a game-8 vs. MB., Sept. 14^th ('85), led UBC in receiving TDs-9 ('88,'89), including a season high-2 vs. Cal., Oct. 28^th ('89), led UBC in receptions-66 and yards-1,023 ('88,'89). 2-time WIFL All-Star ('88,'89), 2^nd team CIAU All-Canadian ('89), East-West Shrine Bowl nominee ('89).  

CFL: Draft 8^th Rd, 62^nd overall ('88). Career Stats: 103-receptions, 1,464-yards, 11-TDs. Named to the T-Birds top-100 ('16), 1980s All-Decade team ('20), UBC All-Century | H.M ('24).



Andrew WALTERS | DB/KR: 1990.91.92.94.95 | 2-time Def. Co-Captain ('94,'95) | 2-time Hardy Cup finalist ('90,'92), 3-time Shrum Bowl champion ('92,'93,'95). Led Canada-West in INTs-5, return yards-74, tied for CW lead with most INTs in a game-2 vs. ALB., Sept.18^th ('92), ranked 2^nd in CW with the highest INT return aver-14.8 and longest return-38 ('92). Led UBC in fumble returns-2 ('91), tied for the UBC lead in INTs-1 ('94). CW All-Star ('92), CIAU First Team All-Canadian ('92). 



CFL: Drafted 4th Rd, 33^rd overall ('94).  Career Stats: 63-Solo tackles, 8-INTs, and 3-fumble recoveries.  Named to the Thunderbird top-100 ('16),  1990s T-Bird All-Decade team ('20).

Andrew BUTSCHLER | OL: 3-time Off. Co-Captain ('89,'90,'91), 2-time Shrum Bowl champion ('87,'88), Hardy Cup-Mitchell Bowl Champion ('87), 2-time Hardy Cup finalist ('89,'90). CW All-Star ('90,'91), First Team CIAU All-Canadian ('90). Named to the Thunderbirds top-100 ('16), 1990s all-Decade team ('20). Coaching: 3-time AAA HS champion ('96,'97,'98), CIAU Hardy Cup-Atlantic Bowl-Vanier Cup champion ('97), BC-CJFL Coach of the Year ('01), 3-time BC-CJFL Provincial Champion ('18,'19,'21), BC-CJFL Canadian Bowl Champion ('21).



Sam CARINO | DB-KR: Shrum Bowl champion ('07). Led UBC in fumble recoveries-3 and pass break-ups-4 ('07), blocked kicks-2 ('08,'09), led UBC in most pass-breakups in a game-3 vs. Man., Sept. 13^th ('08). Recipient of the Courage of Casey Award ('09), Hardy Cup finalist ('11), led UBC in KOR yards-355, aver. 20.9 ('11), ranked 2^nd in CW with longest return-96 yards in a game vs. MB., Oct. 30th ('11). Led UBC in INTS-2 and return yards-73 ('11), led UBC in punt return aver. 8.4 ('11). Set school records: Most forced fumbles in a career-6 | pass break-ups in a career-16 | ranks 2^nd in highest KOR-aver. in a career-27.6 ('07-'11). 3-time CW All-Star ('09,'10,'11), CIS second team All-Canadian ('11). Career Stats: Solo tackles-44, assisted tackles-10, KR yards-191. Named to the T-Birds top-100 ('16), 2010s All-Decade team ('20), UBC All-Century team ('24).



Brandon DESCHAMPS | RB:  3-time Off. Co-Captain ('13,'14,'15) | Uteck Bowl-Vanier Cup champion ('15), Uteck Bowl-MOP ('15), recipient of the Courage of Casey Award ('15), Bobby Gaul Memorial-trophy | Graduating Male Athlete of the Year ('16). Led CW in rushing carries-117, yards-785, yards per game-98.1 ('12), most carries-35, longest run-85 vs. Reg., Sept. 21^st ('13).  Led UBC in AP yards-872 ('12), carries, yards, TDs ('12-'15), 3-time 200+ yard games, a career best-230 vs. Reg., Sept. 21^st ('13). 2-time 1,000 yard rusher: 1,191-yards ('13) 1,098-yards ('15). U SPORTS Academic all-Canadian ('13). U Sport East-West Bowl ('13,'14), CoSIDA Academic All-America College Division ('15).  

CFL: invited to the National combine | signed as an undrafted FA ('16). Career Stats: 4,040 All-Purpose yards, 21-TDs. Named to the T-Birds top-100 ('16), 2010s All-Decade team ('20).



Established by the Thunderbird Football Advisory Council to recognize the highly accomplished athletes, builders, teams and community members who have made outstanding contributions to the football tradition at the University of British Columbia, the Wall of Honour is complimentary to the UBC Sports Hall of Fame in celebration of football's prolific history and numerous accomplishments. Inductees are enshrined on the basis of playing ability, leadership and sportsmanship, and in doing so have enhanced the image of Thunderbird football. The primary criteria for selection is determined by championships, awards, individual records, conference honours, and national recognition while competing for the Thunderbirds.

There is no official limit to the number of alumni honoured each year, however, a minimum period of five years following graduation will be observed prior to eligibility. The committee does recognize the football alumni who have been previously honoured by the UBC Sports Hall of Fame.

Frank Theodore Gnup: Head Coach, 1955-1973

The former ORFU and Canadian Football League All-Star was the head coach at UBC for 18 years. One of UBC's most colourful, admired, and recognizable campus figures, Gnup was known and fondly remembered as a mentor, provider, and character-builder, as well as a promoter of UBC. Included among his 54 career victories are three Hardy Cups championships (1959,'61,'62), while sending 17 of his players to professional football. Since that time, his name has been remembered through the Frank Gnup Scholarship for first-year student-athletes, the Frank Gnup Golf Tournament, his induction into both the UBC Sports Hall of Fame and the BC Football Hall of Fame. The AAA provincial football championship is named in his honour, and the Frank Gnup Memorial Award is presented to the Most Outstanding Player in the Canada West conference.