Eight Gee-Gees Selected to OUA All-Star Teams

All over the field, the 2022 Gee-Gees had standout talent and that depth is reflected in the eight representatives selected as OUA All-Stars. Four players from the defensive units, a lineman, receiver, and running back from the offence, and the team's record-breaking place kicker all found a home on the All-Star list this season.

Linebackers James Peter and Emmanuel Aboagye-Gyan were both named to the OUA First Team, alongside cornerback Kevin Victome. All three had eye-popping moments in overall quality seasons as the Gee-Gees held opponents to just 16.1 points per game.

Peter, a Gee-Gee since 2017, tied for the league high in tackles this season with 7.3 per game. The human kinetics student from Ottawa ranked second in U SPORTS with 58 total tackles. He recorded a career high with three tackles for loss and also forced two fumbles. This is his first OUA All-Star honour. 

Aboagye-Gyan, also a Gee-Gee since 2017, had a breakout season and led Ottawa in sacks with three. The criminology student from Ottawa twice recorded a touchdown on a fumble return, once in the regular season and once in the OUA quarterfinal, and totalled two forced fumbles in the regular season. Adding one interception and a season total of 24 tackles, Aboagye-Gyan earned his first All-Star recognition.

Victome, a criminology student from Ottawa in his third year of eligibility, led OUA with nine pass breakups. His outstanding coverage helped limit Gee-Gees opponents to 194.9 passing yards per game, good for fourth as a team. Victome recorded two interceptions, returning one for 30 yards and one for 41 yards. He equalled his career high of 3.3 tackles per game, recording 26 tackles. 

Running back J-P Cimankinda is the fourth hometown Gee-Gee on the OUA First Team, earning his second straight All-Star award. This season the Human Resources Management student was the busiest back in the conference, running the ball 159 times. He totalled 976 yards on the ground, which ranked second in OUA and also second in Gee-Gees history. His nine total touchdowns led the Gee-Gees this season, with one coming via the pass. He totalled 132 yards receiving for an all-purpose total of 1108 yards. 

The Gee-Gees representatives on the OUA Second Team are Daniel Oladejo, Tristan Fortin, Eric Cumberbatch, and Campbell Fair. All four are first-time All-Stars.

Oladejo, a management student from Ottawa, was the Gee-Gees leader with four receptions per game, totalling 399 yards. He notched three touchdowns and many acrobatic catches at key moments. 

Fortin, a civil law student from Roberval, Que., had an excellent second season at guard for the Garnet and Grey. The six-foot-four, 275-pound lineman was singled out for his work enabling the Gee-Gee running game.

Cumberbatch, a human kinetics student from Alexandria, Ont., built on a solid rookie campaign and was second in OUA with seven pass breakups this year. He added one tackle for loss and averaged 3.1 tackles per game from his halfback position.

Fair led OUA with 19 field goals made this season, and tied the OUA all-time record with his 55-yard game-winner at Laurier. An arts student from Carrying Place, Ont., in his fourth year of eligibility, Fair recorded a career high with 73 per cent success on field goals and recorded six total makes over 40 yards. 

While many of the eight selected are senior players, the future remains bright with OUA All-Rookie Team member Charles Asselin. Asselin, an economics and public policy student from Cantley, Que., was second in OUA with a total of 396 punt return yards and fourth in the conference with 419 kickoff return yards. His averages of 22.1 and 10.7, respectively, ranked fifth in both categories.