SHERBROOKE – The Bishop’s University Department of Athletics and Recreation is pleased to announce that the 1986 OQIFC Champion football team will be inducted into the RBC Wall of Distinction on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013.
The 1986 football squad posted a 9-2 record and won the OQIFC Championship before falling to the UBC Thunderbirds in the Central Bowl. The team also earned multiple accolades that season. Legendary head coach Bruce Coulter won the Frank Tindall Trophy as CIAU Coach of the Year in his 25th season with the program while three Gaiters were named all-Canadians and six were conference all-stars.
Tony Harris was the all-Canadian quarterback that season while defensive back Jake Vaughn and linebacker Leroy Blugh also earned national recognition before later heading on to play in the CFL. The trio were also OQIFC all-stars along with wide receiver Wally Zatylny, kicker Simon Restall and linebacker Mike Bremner.
Three of the greatest coaches in Bishop’s Gaiters history were on the staff. Alongside Coulter were Tom Allen and Ian Breck who played key roles in the team’s success. Allen was the team’s defensive coordinator while Breck worked with the special teams and was the linebacker coach as well as an excellent recruiter.
The Gaiters played eleven games in 1986. They got off to a great start beating Guelph, Queen’s, Concordia (twice), and Ottawa to post a 5-0 record. A hiccup against the Carleton Ravens proved to be their only regular season loss. They rebounded with back-to-back victories against McGill before topping Queen’s in the OQIFC semi-final. Bishop’s got their revenge against the Ravens in the Dunsmore Cup. They avenged their 53-22 regular season loss with a convincing 38-19 victory and claimed the OQIFC championship.
Bishop’s storybook run came to an end in the 1986 Central Bowl when the UBC Thunderbirds visited Lennoxville in November. The Gaiters came as close as they ever have to reaching the Vanier Cup, falling 32-30 to the eventual national champions.
The 1986 Bishop’s Gaiters will forever remain in the university’s history as they will be inducted into the RBC Wall of Distinction on Oct. 26, 2013. A dinner will take place on Friday, Oct. 25 at the Old Lennoxville Golf Club to honour the team. The official unveiling of the plaque onto the RBC Wall of Distinction in the John H. Price Sports Centre at Bishop’s University will take place on Saturday, Oct. 26 prior to the 2013 Bishop’s Gaiters playing their regular season finale against the McGill Redmen on Coulter Field at 1 p.m.
A complete list of RBC Wall of Distinction members can be found at www.gaiters.ca/wod.
Source: Marty Rourke, Bishop’s Gaiters Sports Information
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