St. Francis Xavier X-Men football

The St. Francis Xavier X-Men football team represents the St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The X-Men program has been competing at the varsity level since 1954 and won the second ever Vanier Cup national championship in 1966. The team has played in two National Championship games overall when they were runners-up in 1996 and have won 16 conference championships in total.

Championships

National championships

Vanier Cup Champions: 1966 Runner-Up: 1996

Semi-final championships

Atlantic Bowl Champions: 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1996 Runner-Up: 1958, 1962, 1967, 1978, 1982, 1983 In 1983 the AUAA was in a dispute with the CIS (formerly CIAU) over the Atlantic Bowl being played at Saint Mary's, in Halifax, on annual basis. Calgary received a bye to the CIAU Championship game.

Uteck Bowl Runner-Up: 2015, 2018, 2022

Mitchell Bowl Runner-Up: 2016, 2021, 2023

Conference championships

Jewett Trophy (Loney Bowl) Champions: 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1996, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023 The X-Men have won the Atlantic Conference Championship 16 times and have been runners-up an additional 12 times.

Recent results Season Games Won Lost Standing Playoffs19968 620 0.750 227 1471st in AUS Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 30–22Defeated Ottawa Gee-Gees in Atlantic Bowl 13–5Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in 32nd Vanier Cup 31–1219978 710 0.875 190 1201st in AUS Lost to Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 20–1719988 170 0.125 112 2194th in AUS Out of playoffs19998 170 0.125 132 2704th in AUS Out of playoffs20008 350 0.375 65 2283rd in AUS Out of playoffs20018 350 0.375 106 2023rd in AUS Out of playoffs20028 620 0.750 215 1342nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 25–11Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 63–1420038 440 0.500 139 1433rd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 30–28Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 36–1220048 350 0.375 155 2453rd in AUS Lost to Acadia Axemen in semi-final 15–820058 530 0.625 219 1892nd in AUS Defeated Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 47–29Lost to Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 69–620067 25– 0.286 80 1763rd in AUS Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 24–620078 35– 0.375 158 2842nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 38–17Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 25–2420088 44– 0.500 186 2052nd in AUS Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in semi-final 52–12Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 29–2720098 62– 0.750 201 1662nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 33–30Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 31–2220108 17– 0.125 98 2474th in AUS Out of playoffs20118 26– 0.250 148 3003rd in AUS Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 25–220128 26– 0.250 137 2394th in AUS Out of playoffs20138 35– 0.375 150 1834th in AUS Out of playoffs20148 44– 0.500 181 1802nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 18–17Lost to Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 29–720158 53– 0.625 172 1792nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 26–4Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 14–12Lost to UBC Thunderbirds in Uteck Bowl 36–920168 71– 0.875 299 1291st in AUS Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 29–8Lost to Calgary Dinos in Mitchell Bowl 50–2420178 44– 0.500 179 1683rd in AUS Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 16–1520188 62– 0.750 224 1562nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 33–10Defeated Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 33–9Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in Uteck Bowl 63–020198 26– 0.250 128 2145th in AUS Out of playoffs2020Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic20216 60– 1.000 193 991st in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 27–22Defeated Bishop's Gaiters in Loney Bowl 25–17Lost to Western Mustangs in Mitchell Bowl 61–620228 80– 1.000 261 831st in AUS Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 21–14Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in Uteck Bowl 36–192023 8 8 0 – 1.000 267 90 1st in AUS Defeated St. Mary's Huskies in semi-final 36–20Defeated Bishop's Gaiters in Loney Bowl 34–23Lost to UBC Thunderbirds in Mitchell Bowl 47–172024 8 5 3 – 0.625 240 155 2nd in AUS Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 21–172025 8 5 3 – 0.625 187 109 2nd in AUS Defeated Bishop's Gaiters in semi-final 26–24Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 46–11

Head coaches Name Years Notes Frank Germann 1954–1956 Don Loney 1957–1973 Cam Innes 1974–1977 John Musselman 1978–1983 Lance Bullock 1984–1988 Mark Heidebrecht 1989–1992 John Stevens 1993–2001 Dennis McPhee 2002–2003 John Bloomfield 2004–2008 Gary Waterman 2009–present

National award winners J. P. Metras Trophy: Tony Grassa (1981), Mike Kushnir (1997) Presidents' Trophy: Paul Frlan (1995), Adam MacDonald (2002), Hénoc Muamba (2010) Peter Gorman Trophy: Joey Tynes (1979), Andre Arlain (1994), Paul Carty (1997), Jeremy Steeves (2001) Frank Tindall Trophy: John Stevens (1997), Gary Waterman (2022)

X-Men in the CFL In the 2011 CFL draft, Hénoc Muamba became the first X-Men player to be selected first overall in the Canadian College Draft, having been drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

As of the start of the 2026 CFL season, three former X-Men players are on CFL teams' rosters: Kaion Julien-Grant, Edmonton Elks Gregor MacKellar, Ottawa Redblacks Gordon Whyte, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

References

External links