Laurier receiver, Ottawa Redblacks’ draft pick Ethan Jordan named OUA’s Most Valuable Player

Ontario University Athletics unveiled its stars and honorees for the 2025 season, headlined by a familiar face to CFL fans.

Wilfrid Laurier University wide receiver Ethan Jordan, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2025 CFL Draft by the Ottawa Redblacks and began the year on the team's practice squad before returning to school, received the Larry Haylor Award as the conference's most valuable player.

The fifth-year standout recorded his second 1,000-yard regular season, catching 68 passes for 1,066 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Golden Hawks. In addition to leading the nation in catches for the second year in a row, the five-foot-11, 175-pound speedster has the most career catches in OUA history with 239 while ranking second in both receiving yardage (3,450) and touchdowns (30).

Jordan will be nominated for the Hec Crighton Trophy, awarded to U Sports' top player. He will be joined at the national ceremony by Western offensive lineman Eric Anderson, who has been nominated for the JP Metras Award as the nation's top offensive lineman for the second straight season. Andersen was drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the second round of the 2025 CFL Draft but left the team during training camp.

Laurier linebacker Jesse Wilkins is nominated for the President's Trophy as the nation's top stand-up defender, while Western defender Jackson Mackay will compete for the Peter Gorman Trophy as U Sports' top rookie. Laurier head coach Michael Faulds is again in the running for Coach of the Year, Waterloo's Rob McMurren has been nominated for the nation's top assistant and Carlton defenseman Luigi Zagaria is in the running for the Russ Jackson Award for his commitment to community service.

In addition to the major awards, the OUA also unveiled a list of first and second team stars. Five CFL draft picks were recognized on the first team: Jordan, Andersen, west defender Max von Muhldorfer, who went in the seventh round to the Calgary Stampeders, Queens midfielder Ashton Miller-Melancon, who went in the eighth round to Calgary, and Windsor defenseman Istvan Assibo-Dadzi, who went in the fourth round to the Toronto Argonauts.

The full list of stars can be seen below.