St. Francis Xavier X-Men football

St. Francis Xavier X-Men
St. Francis Xavier X-Men logo
First season1954
Athletic directorLeo MacPherson
Head coachGary Waterman
14th year, 69–49–0  (.585)
Home stadiumOland Stadium
Stadium capacity4000
Stadium surfaceFieldTurf
LocationAntigonish, Nova Scotia
LeagueU Sports
ConferenceAUS (1999 – present)
Past associationsAUAA (1974–1998)
All-time record– 
Postseason record– 
Titles
Vanier Cups1
1966
Atlantic Bowls5
1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1996
Jewett Trophies16
1960, 1961, 1962, 1963,
1966, 1967, 1978, 1982,
1983, 1996, 2015, 2016,
2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
Hec Crighton winners0
ColoursBlue and White
   
OutfitterAdidas
Websitegoxgo.ca

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.[1]

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.[2]

Recent results

Season Games Won Lost OTL PCT PF PA Standing Playoffs
1996 8 6 2 0 0.750 227 147 1st in AUS Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 30–22
Defeated Ottawa Gee-Gees in Atlantic Bowl 13–5
Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in 32nd Vanier Cup 31–12
1997 8 7 1 0 0.875 190 120 1st in AUS Lost to Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 20–17
1998 8 1 7 0 0.125 112 219 4th in AUS Out of playoffs
1999 8 1 7 0 0.125 132 270 4th in AUS Out of playoffs
2000 8 3 5 0 0.375 65 228 3rd in AUS Out of playoffs
2001 8 3 5 0 0.375 106 202 3rd in AUS Out of playoffs
2002 8 6 2 0 0.750 215 134 2nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 25–11
Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 63–14
2003 8 4 4 0 0.500 139 143 3rd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 30–28
Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 36–12
2004 8 3 5 0 0.375 155 245 3rd in AUS Lost to Acadia Axemen in semi-final 15–8
2005 8 5 3 0 0.625 219 189 2nd in AUS Defeated Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 47–29
Lost to Acadia Axemen in Loney Bowl 69–6
2006 7 2 5 – 0.286 80 176 3rd in AUS Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 24–6
2007 8 3 5 – 0.375 158 284 2nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 38–17
Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 25–24
2008 8 4 4 – 0.500 186 205 2nd in AUS Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in semi-final 52–12
Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 29–27
2009 8 6 2 – 0.750 201 166 2nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 33–30
Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 31–22
2010 8 1 7 – 0.125 98 247 4th in AUS Out of playoffs
2011 8 2 6 – 0.250 148 300 3rd in AUS Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 25–2
2012 8 2 6 – 0.250 137 239 4th in AUS Out of playoffs
2013 8 3 5 – 0.375 150 183 4th in AUS Out of playoffs
2014 8 4 4 – 0.500 181 180 2nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 18–17
Lost to Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 29–7
2015 8 5 3 – 0.625 172 179 2nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 26–4
Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 14–12
Lost to UBC Thunderbirds in Uteck Bowl 36–9
2016 8 7 1 – 0.875 299 129 1st in AUS Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 29–8
Lost to Calgary Dinos in Mitchell Bowl 50–24
2017 8 4 4 – 0.500 179 168 3rd in AUS Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 16–15
2018 8 6 2 – 0.750 224 156 2nd in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 33–10
Defeated Saint Mary's Huskies in Loney Bowl 33–9
Lost to Laval Rouge et Or in Uteck Bowl 63–0
2019 8 2 6 – 0.250 128 214 5th in AUS Out of playoffs
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 6 6 0 – 1.000 193 99 1st in AUS Defeated Acadia Axemen in semi-final 27–22
Defeated Bishop's Gaiters in Loney Bowl 25–17
Lost to Western Mustangs in Mitchell Bowl 61–6
2022 8 8 0 – 1.000 261 83 1st in AUS Defeated Mount Allison Mounties in Loney Bowl 21–14
Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in Uteck Bowl 36–19
2023 8 8 0 – 1.000 267 90 1st in AUS Defeated St. Mary's Huskies in semi-final 36–20
Defeated Bishop's Gaiters in Loney Bowl 34–23
Lost to UBC Thunderbirds in Mitchell Bowl 47–17
2024 8 5 3 – 0.625 240 155 2nd in AUS Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in semi-final 21–17

[3][4]

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

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.[5]

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

[6]

References

  1. ^ "Uteck Bowl History". U Sports. 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  2. ^ "Atlantic University Sport Men's Football Past Champions". Atlantic University Sport. 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  3. ^ "Bob Adams CIS Sportspage". Chebucto Community Net. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  4. ^ "U Sports football standings". U Sports. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  5. ^ "Muamba selected 1st overall in CFL draft". St. Francis Xavier X-Men. May 8, 2011.
  6. ^ "CFL players". Canadian Football League. Retrieved November 4, 2024.