Three defensive players from the Concordia Stingers football team have been named to the roster for the 2021 East-West Bowl announced jointly by U SPORTS and the Canadian Football League on Wednesday.
The annual showcase of Canadian university talent that has been identified for the 2022 CFL draft will not take place this spring due to COVID-19 and current health and safety guidelines. Nevertheless, the student-athletes are being acknowledged.
Concordia defensive lineman Malick Sylvain, and defensive backs Derek Achaempong and Khadeem Pierre were named to the East roster. The team is made up of players from Quebec, Atlantic and three Ontario teams – Queen’s, Ottawa and Carleton.
Team West is mostly made up of players from Canada West and Ontario schools. All 27 U SPORTS football teams are represented by at least three players.
Sylvain, who checks in at six-foot-four and 200 pounds, is a versatile athlete who has played receiver as well as on the defensive line during his career. In 2019 he lined up on the defensive side of the ball and had six tackles in five games. The La Prairie, Que. resident comes out of the Cégep Édouard Montpetit football program.
Achaempong, a six-foot, 185-pound halfback, is from Laval, Que. and comes out of Vanier College program. He played eight games in 2019 and had 23.5 tackles and three pass breakups.
Pierre, who calls Ottawa his hometown, has a long résumé of football accomplishments. He was the RSEQ defensive rookie of the year, a conference all-star and a second team U SPORTS all-Canadian in 2017. He was also an all-star in 2019 when he played eight games, recording 28.5 tackles and three interceptions for 122 yards and a touchdown.
The graduate of the Champlain College, Lennoxville, football system checks in at six-foot-one and 190 pounds.
