Wilfrid Laurier University has head coaching position open after former Golden Hawks bench coach Michael Folds left to attend his alma mater, Western University.
2024 Heck Crichton winner defenseman Taylor Elgersma weighs in on the move through his account X: “They beat them so badly that they had to lure our coach away.” The 23-year-old is likely referring to Laurier's 43-28 win over Western in the 2024 OUA regular season. 51-31 in the 116th Yates Cup. when he was starter and successor Cal Wither led 60-13 in the final week of the OUA regular season last year..
Regardless of what opinions exist on Faulds leaving for Western, WLU has a vacancy to fill. In the 65-year history of the football program, the Golden Hawks have had six head coaches: Bob Celeri, David “Taffy” Knight, Rich Newbrough, Rick Zmich, Gary Jeffries and Folds. This means the athletic department will be looking for a long-term answer.
When Faulds was hired in 2013, his coaching resume included three years as York University's offensive coordinator and that was it. Laurier took a chance on Eden Mills, Ont. native man, but there were many people in U Sports football circles who thought he would make a great head coach. Although he had no previous ties to the Golden Hawks other than competing on the field against WLU.
It seems Laurier alumni would like to have someone with purple and gold connections as the program's new head coach. This brings us to the candidates for this position.
Ron Van Moerkerke – Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach, Wilfrid Laurier University
Van Moerkerke played linebacker for the Golden Hawks in the late 1980s. He won the Yates Cup as a player in 1987 and earned OUA First Team All-Star honors in 1989 and was also named the team's Most Valuable Player.
A longtime Waterloo District School Board teacher who has been coaching with Laurier for more than 20 years will ensure a smooth transition. He bleeds purple and goldas evidenced by his OUA Volunteer Football Coach of the Year award in 2009, as well as helping develop a wealth of CFL talent, including Kwaku Boateng, Robbie Smith And Luke Brubacher.
The Guelph native won four Yates Cups (2004, 2005, 2016 and 2024) and a Vanier Cup (2005) as coach of the Golden Hawks.
Todd Galloway – Offensive Coordinator, Student-Athlete and Receivers Development Coach, Wilfrid Laurier University
Kitchener, Ontario. Native played receiver for the Golden Hawks from 2000 to 2003. He began his coaching career at WLU in 2004 as the team's wide receivers coach and won a Vanier Cup as part of the coaching staff in 2005.
Galloway has held his current position with the program since 2020. He was instrumental in Elgersma's development from a little-known recruit to best player in Canadian university football. This marking was crucial as the strong-armed passer found success. Attention NFL.
A 44-year-old man helped transfer QB Cal Wither quickly became accustomed to Laurier's offensive scheme during his first year with the Golden Hawks. Wither led the nation with 26 touchdown passes compared to four interceptions while completing 72.7 percent of his passes for 2,472 yards in eight OUA regular season games in 2025.
As with VanMoerkerke, promoting Galloway to head coach could provide stability during the transition period. He went 5-3 and led the Guelph Griffins to a Yates Cup appearance in 2018 as interim head coach.
Stefan Ptaszek – head coach at McMaster University
Until Heck Crichton winner Ethan Jordan emerged in 2025, Ptaszek was Laurier's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He was a three-time All-Canadian and helped the Golden Hawks win the 1991 Vanier Cup, the first in school history. Burlington, Ontario. Native was the team's offensive coordinator in 2005 when Laurier won its second national championship.
Ptaszek was the head coach at McMaster University for 16 seasons. He led the Marauders to the team's first Vanier Cup victory in 2011 and also won four Yates Cups during his time in Hamilton. The 54-year-old is a proven winner with an 81-45 regular season record.
Mary Surya – Head Coach, University of Guelph
Surya won the Vanier Cup with Queen's University in 2009 as a wide receiver and then finished his playing career with two seasons at Laurier. He was the Golden Hawks' offensive coordinator from 2013 to 2016, calling games when the team won the Yates Cup in his final year there.
The 37-year-old has a 9-7 regular season record with the Griffins in his first two seasons as bench coach.
Corey Grant – head coach of Carleton University
From 1995 to 1998, Grant was a standout receiver for the Golden Hawks. He was selected in the first round, seventh overall, in the 1999 CFL Draft. Stoney Creek, Ontario. Native has won two Gray Cups, one with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1999 and another with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2007.
The 49-year-old has been the head coach of the Carlton Ravens since 2022 and has compiled a 14-18 regular season record.
Kevin McNeil – Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator, University of Waterloo
McNeil was Wilfrid Laurier's star midfielder from 1999 to 2003. He was a two-time OUA All-Star, once an All-Canadian, and received the team MVP award in 2001.
London, Ontario. Nativ began his coaching career with the Golden Hawks in 2005, when the team won the Vanier Cup. He compiled an 11-11 regular season record as head coach of the Guelph Gryphons from 2016 to 2018 and currently holds the titles of assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator with the Warriors.
Dwayne Cameron – Director of Canadian Scouting, USA Scout, Calgary Stampeders
Unknown if Guelph, Ontario. The native left the CFL ranks, but Laurier is the only U Sports player he's ever known. He was the defensive backs coach and strength and conditioning coordinator from 2004 to 2009, then returned as special teams coordinator, defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator from 2013 to 2019.
Cameron won three Yates Cups and one Vanier Cup during his time with the Golden Hawks.
