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May 15, 2018 | Wrestling

Wrestler Francis Carter is the seventh Stinger nominated for a BLG.Wrestler Francis Carter is the seventh Stinger nominated for a BLG.

Francis Carter named finalist for BLG Athlete of the Year

Concordia Stinger wrestler Francis Carter is a finalist for the prestigious 2018 BLG Awards honouring the top male and female athletes from universities affiliated with U SPORTS.

The Montreal native was named the Outstanding Male Wrestler of the Year at the 2018 national championship held at Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. in February.

At the national meet, the third-year Behavioural Neuroscience major won three preliminary matches in the 68 kg weight class. In the gold medal match, Carter defeated defending champion Matt Jagas of the powerhouse Brock Badgers in a hard-fought 3-2 decision, helping Concordia secure a second-place team finish for the Stingers.

The four nominees for the BLG Doug Mitchell Trophy presented to the U SPORTS Male Athlete of the Year are: Carter, Alberta Golden Bears football player Ed Ilnicki, Laurentian Voyageurs basketball player Kadre Gray and UNB Varsity Reds basketball player Javon Masters.

On the women’s side, the finalists for the Jim Thompson Trophy presented to the U SPORTS Female Athlete of the Year are Calgary Dinos rugby player/wrestler Temitope Ogunjimi, volleyball players Theanna Vernon of the Ryerson Rams and Marie-Alex Bélanger of the Montréal Carabins, and Acadia Axewomen basketball player Paloma Anderson.

This is the seventh time Concordia has had an athlete nominated for the awards. Previous finalists include Emerson Thomas (basketball), Corinne Swirsky (hockey), Patrick Donovan (football), Martine Dugrenier (wrestling) and David Tremblay (wrestling). Swirsky was a finalist on two occasions and won the award in 1999.

The eight national nominees will be honoured June 4 at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in Vancouver.

The BLG Awards were established in 1993 by U SPORTS and national law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP to recognize the top male and female athletes from U SPORTS-affiliated universities. One male and female nominee are chosen to represent each of the four conferences: Canada West, Ontario University Athletics, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec and Atlantic University Sport. All finalists will receive a commemorative gold ring from Jostens.