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view . spring 2010
The Windsor Lancers
are pleased to
announce that Lancer football centre Matt
Morencie has been awarded the prestigious
CIS J.P. Metras Award as the 2009 Lineman
of the Year.
He was presented with the honour at the
Vanier Cup awards in November, along with
other CIS major awards.
Morencie was 21st overall selection in the
May 2009 CFL entry draft. He returned to
play for Windsor for his fifth and final season
last fall.
A career offensive tackle, Morencie made
a huge switch last season to the interior of
the offensive line to take on the role of centre.
He flourished in his new role that saw him
in charge of making the calls and adjustments
for the offensive line.
As a physical, point-of-attack run blocker
and a high-quality pass protector, Morencie
was once again one of the league’s most
dominant offensive linemen this past season.
He’ll look to move on to the next level in
2010 after signing with the CFL’s Hamilton
Tiger-Cats.
Morencie is the third player in Lancer
history to win the OUA’s J.P. Metras Award as
Lineman of the Year, and the first since John
Celestino in 1981.
MORENCIE CAPTURES J.P. METRAS AWARD AS CIS LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Lancer Football centre
Matt Morencie
This past October,
the University of Windsor and
Department of Athletics was saddened by the news that
legendary Lancer Football Head Coach Gino Fracas had
passed away at the age of 79.
One of the most well-known and
well-respected individuals in Canadian
football history, Fracas founded the
Lancer football program and coached
there for 19 years (1968-1986).
Born on April 28, 1930, Fracas
was an all-city halfback at Assumption
High School and helped lead them to
championships in 1948 and 1949.
From there, he went on to star at
the University of Western Ontario as a
two way player and was selected as an
all-star in 1952, 1953 and 1954. He also
helped lead the Mustangs to back-to-
back Yates Cup championships in 1952
and 1953.
A first-round draft choice of the Ottawa Roughriders in
1954, he excelled during his eight-year pro football career
with the Edmonton Eskimos, winning two Grey Cups in
1955 and 1956. He was a team captain, defensive signal
caller and known for being one of the toughest linebackers
in the CFL.
Following his playing career, Fracas became head
coach at the University of Alberta leading the Golden
Bears to three league championships in four years. In 1963,
his team won the Golden Bowl as university
national champions.
After returning to Windsor, he became the first ever
head coach of the University of Windsor
Lancer football program. He led the
Lancers to the CCIFC championship in
1969, an OUAA Championship in 1975
and was the OUAA coach of the year in
both 1976 and 1977.
For his all-around excellence on the
football field, Coach Fracas became an
inaugural member of the OUA Football
Legends Wall of Fame as a player, coach
and administrator. In addition, the CIS
Football Volunteer Coach of the Year is
named in his honour.
In 1987, Fracas received the
prestigious Football Canada/CFL
Award of Merit for outstanding lifetime
contribution to football in Canada. In all, he was inducted
into six different halls of fame including the University of
Windsor Alumni Sports Hall of Fame.
The Lancers have recognized his tremendous
contributions to the University by naming the University of
Windsor Coach of the Year Award in his honour.
Also a professor at the university, Fracas was one of the
best-known figures both on campus and in the community.
In 1995, Fracas retired after 28 successful years from the
Faculty of Human Kinetics.
LEGENDARY LANCER COACH GINO FRACAS PASSES AWAY
Lancer Football Head Coach
Gino Fracas
