Acadia Axemen football

Last updated
Acadia Axemen
Acadia Axemen Football Logo.png
Acadia Axemen logo
First season1957
Athletic directorBrian Finniss
Head coach Jeff Cummins
20th year, 74–84–0  (.468)
Other staffTom Flaxman (OC)
Shad McLachlan (DC)
Home stadium Raymond Field
Stadium capacity3000
Stadium surfaceFieldTurf
LocationWolfville, Nova Scotia
League U Sports
Conference AUS (1999–present)
Past associationsNSJCFL (1957)
MIFL (1958–1959)
AFC (1960–1965)
MIAA (1966–1968)
AIAA (1969–1973)
AUAA (1974–1998)
All-time record– 
Postseason record– 
Titles
Vanier Cups2
1979, 1981
Atlantic Bowls4
1976, 1977, 1979, 1981
Jewett Trophies15
1975, 1976, 1977, 1979,
1980, 1981, 1986, 1995,
1998, 2005, 2006, 2011,
2012, 2017, 2019
Hec Crighton winners3
Al Charuk, Bob Stracina, Bob Cameron
Current uniform
CIS Acadia Jersey.png
ColoursGarnet and Blue
   
Fight songWagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show
OutfitterAdidas
Website acadiau.ca

The Acadia Axemen football team represents Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Axemen have been in continuous operation since 1957 when they played their first full season in the Nova Scotia Junior Canadian Football League. [1] The program entered the top tier in Maritime football in 1962 and has been competing there ever since. [2] The program saw its greatest success from 1975 to 1981 where they won six conference championships, appeared in four Vanier Cup national championships, and won two of those in 1979 and in 1981. [3]

Contents

Recently, the Axemen had their most success in the 2011, 2012, 2017, and 2019 seasons, when the teams finished first in the AUS and reached the Uteck Bowl all four years. Since 1998, the program has qualified for the playoffs every year except for the 2008, 2022, and 2023 seasons. [4]

Recent regular season results

SeasonGamesWonLostOTLPCTPFPAStandingPlayoffs
2000 84400.5001961552nd in AUSLost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 38-18
2001 84400.5001211872nd in AUSLost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 38-7
2002 84400.5002052153rd in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 25-11
2003 84400.5002011812nd in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 30-28
2004 85300.6252541562nd in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 15-11
Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 24-7
2005 85300.6252761351st in AUSDefeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Loney Bowl 69-6
Lost to Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in Uteck Bowl 31-10
2006 853–0.6251971551st in AUSDefeated Mount Allison Mounties in semi-final 16-16
Defeated Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 32-24
Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in Uteck Bowl 57-10
2007 835–0.3751822873rd in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 38-17
2008 817–0.1251202394th in AUSMissed Playoffs
2009 826–0.2501382393rd in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 33-30
2010 844–0.5001341542nd in AUSDefeated Mount Allison Mounties in semi-final 22-14 (OT)
Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 37-8
2011 871–0.8752611081st in AUSDefeated Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 39-20
Lost to McMaster Marauders in Uteck Bowl 45-21
2012 871–0.8752291321st in AUSDefeated Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 17-9
Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in Uteck Bowl 42-7
2013 835–0.3751651223rd in AUSLost to Mount Allison Mounties in semi-final 19-10
2014 835–0.3751442103rd in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 18-17
2015 844–0.5001851703rd in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 26-4
2016 826–0.2501242143rd in AUSLost to Mount Allison Mounties in semi-final 27-18
2017 862–0.7502261931st in AUSDefeated Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 45-38 (OT) [5]
Lost to Western Mustangs in Uteck Bowl 81-3
2018 853–0.6252361463rd in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 33-10
2019 880–1.0003091651st in AUSDefeated Bishop's Gaiters in Loney Bowl 31-1
Lost to Montreal Carabins in Uteck Bowl 38-0
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 615–0.16752594th in AUSLost to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in semi-final 27-22
2022 808–0.000882095th in AUSMissed Playoffs
2023 817–0.125812035th in AUSMissed Playoffs
2024 826–0.2501322674th in AUSLost to Bishop's Gaiters in semi-final 59-0

[6] [7]

Head coaches

NameYearsNotes
Fred Kelly1956–1959 [8]
Scorchy MacVicar1960–1964 [8]
Bill Busching1965–1967 [8]
George Hemond1968–1970 [8]
Bob Vespaziani 1971–1978
John Huard 1979–1983
Sonny Wolfe1984–2003
Jeff Cummins 2004–present

National championships

Vanier Cup

Semi-final championships

Axemen playing Laval Rouge et Or at Quebec City on September 15, 2012 Axemen football.jpg
Axemen playing Laval Rouge et Or at Quebec City on September 15, 2012

Uteck Bowl

Atlantic Bowl

Conference championships

Jewett Trophy (Loney Bowl)

National award winners

Axemen in the CFL

As of the end of the 2024 CFL season, three former Axemen players are on CFL teams' rosters:

[9]

References

  1. ↑ Canadian Football in Halifax and Nova Scotia 1940-1957
  2. ↑ University Football in Atlantic Canada 1958-1973
  3. ↑ 1981 Football Axemen: ‘A special group of players’
  4. ↑ Bob Adams CIS Sportspage, 1997
  5. ↑ "AUS hands Loney Bowl title to Acadia following eligibility controversy with SMU". Atlantic. 2017-11-09. Archived from the original on November 10, 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  6. ↑ Bob Adams CIS Sportspage
  7. ↑ U Sports Standings
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Football Builders Award". Acadia University. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  9. ↑ "CFL players". Canadian Football League . Retrieved November 4, 2024.
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