For more on this year's class, visit: westernmustangs.ca/footballsigningday2018

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs football program officially welcomed 31 new players into the family on Thursday evening at an event unveiling the team's 2018 recruiting class.
 
"These days are very important, because it's these players here that three, four, or five years from now are going to be the ones that are going to take the leadership role on the team and we're going to count on them to lead this team," said Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall. "It's a really good class, I thought we had a good class last year, and I'm pretty optimistic. I usually think we have a good class, but the one thing is that you evaluate your class three or four years from now to see how they do."
 
This year's recruiting class is made up of 16 players on offence, 12 on defence, and three on special teams. The majority of this year's class is from Ontario, including 12 players from London who will don the colours of their hometown Mustangs. Along with the 24 players from Ontario the Mustangs added four players from British Columbia, and three from Quebec.
 
"London high school football is great, it's one of the best areas in the country for football players and developing football players through university and into the professional level," said Mustangs recruiting coordinator Joe Circelli. "It's very important that we take care of our own back yard. I think this year, like others previously, we're very confident that we have the top players in London high school football here at Western University for the next four or five years."

Western's 2018 recruits are certainly no strangers to success as 11 of the 31 recruits announced on Thursday have been named to their respective provincial teams, while three players have or will soon represent Canada in international competition and nine players were listed on CanadaFootballChat.com's #CFC100 rankings.
 
"Another strong class, we really loaded up on the line of scrimmage which is what we try to do on a year-to-year basis and this year was no different," said offensive coordinator Steve Snyder. "We've got some really great offensive and defensive linemen coming in. Overall, it's a great class, the running back position was addressed as well, and we feel like a lot more depth was put back into that unit. We're really looking forward to getting to work with these guys."
 
The defending Vanier Cup champions kick off their 2018 schedule on August 26 on the road against the Carleton Ravens. The team's first home game is on September 8 when the Mustangs host the McMcaster Marauders, while Western's annual Homecoming contest is scheduled for October 20 against the Laurier Golden Hawks.
 
Information on each of this year's recruits is available below.
  
Note: Athletes who commit to Mustangs teams will be eligible to compete at Western provided they are academically admissible to Western University and have applied through the normal process with the Ontario Universities' Application Centre in Guelph, Ont.
 
Name: Alex Berwick
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6'2
Weight: 295 lbs
Hometown: Clarence Creek, Ont. 
Last Team: Cumberland Panthers, Football North
Provincial Team:  Team Ontario
 
Name: Derek Best
Position: Running Back
Height: 6'1
Weight: 200 lbs
Hometown: Surrey, BC.
Last Team: Tweedsmuir
Provincial Team:  Team BC
 
Name: Yusseuf Bowers-Lee
Position: Receiver
Height: 6'0
Weight: 170 lbs
Hometown: Whitby, Ont.
Last Team: Donald A. Wilson, Durham Dolphins
 
Name: Jack Bukich
Position: Receiver 
Height: 5'11
Weight: 170 lbs
Hometown: St. Thomas, Ont.
Last Team: Parkside, London Jr. Mustangs
 
Name: Matthew Coddington
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6'1
Weight: 250 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont. 
Last Team: London Jr Mustangs, John Paul II 
 
Name: Keon Edwards
Position: Athlete
Height: 5'11
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Toronto, Ont. 
Last Team: St. Michael's College, Toronto Jr. Argonauts
Provincial Team:  Team Ontario
 
Name: Zack Fry
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6'6
Weight: 270 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: Regina Mundi College, London Jr. Mustangs
National Team:  Team Canada
 
Name: Brian Garrity
Position: Kicker
Height: 5'8
Weight: 155 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: Catholic Central, London Jr. Mustangs
Provincial Team:  Team Ontario
 
Name: Phillip Grohovac
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6'4
Weight: 270 lbs
Hometown: Victoria, BC.
Last Team: Mt. Douglas 
Provincial Team:  Team BC
 
Name: Soren Hallschmid
Position: Left Back
Height: 6'3
Weight: 235 lbs
Hometown: Victoria, BC.
Last Team: Mt. Douglas 
Provincial Team:  Team BC
 
Name: Will Hunter
Position: Defensive Back
Height: 6'0
Weight: 180 lbs
Hometown: Toronto, Ont. 
Last Team: Toronto Jr. Argonauts, St. Michael's College 
Provincial Team:  Team Ontario
 
Name: Jalen Jackson
Position: Running Back
Height: 5'8
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Windsor, Ont.
Last Team: Essex Ravens, Herman/NMMI
 
Name: Tevin Johnston
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6'4
Weight: 255 lbs
Hometown: Alymer, Ont.
Last Team: East Elgin, London Jr. Mustangs
 
Name: Deionte Knight
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6'5
Weight: 240 lbs
Hometown: Ajax, Ont.
Last Team: Scarborough Thunder, Football North 
Provincial Team:  Team Ontario
 
Name: Bruce Maas
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6'0
Weight: 215 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: St. Andre Bessette, London Jr. Mustangs
 
Name: Savaughn Magnaye-Jones
Position: Receiver
Height: 5'7
Weight: 150 lbs
Hometown: Hamilton, Ont.
Last Team: Hamilton Jr. Ticats, St Thomas More
 
Name: Curtis Minifie
Position: Defensive Back 
Height: 6'1
Weight: 175 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: Regina Mundi College, Forest City Thunderbirds 
 
Name: David Nethersole
Position: Running Back
Height: 5'9
Weight: 170 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: South, London Jr. Mustangs
Provincial Team:  Team Ontario
 
Name: Spencer Nichols
Position: Running Back
Height: 6'4
Weight: 230 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: South, London Jr. Mustangs
National Team:  Team Canada
 
Name: Max Nixon
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6'1
Weight: 186 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: Regina Mundi College, London Jr. Mustangs
Provincial Team:  Team Ontario
 
Name: Michael Pacifico
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6'3
Weight: 280 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: Lucas, London Jr. Mustangs
 
Name: Dylan Rachel
Position: Left Back 
Height: 6'3
Weight: 185 lbs
Hometown: North Vancouver, BC.
Last Team: Notre Dame
Provincial Team:  Team BC
 
Name: Francois Rocheleau
Position: Athlete
Height: 5'10
Weight: 180 lbs
Hometown: Montreal, Que.  
Last Team: College Andre-Grasset
National Team: Team Canada
 
Name: Cooper Skellett
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6'1
Weight: 275 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: Catholic Central, London Jr. Mustangs
 
Name: Dan Skutta
Position: Athlete
Height: 6'5
Weight: 230 lbs
Hometown: Hamilton, Ont.
Last Team: St Thomas More, Hamilton Jr. Ticats
 
Name: Matt Soles
Position: Linebacker 
Height: 6'0
Weight: 215 lbs
Hometown: Pointe Claire, Que.
Last Team: Trinity College 
 
Name: Brandon Tatsu
Position: Receiver
Height: 6'1
Weight: 175 lbs
Hometown: Windsor, Ont.
Last Team: Essex Ravens, Holy Names
 
Name: Alec Trusler
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6'3
Weight: 210 lbs
Hometown: Sarnia, Ont.
Last Team: Sarnia Northern
 
Name: Alex Veilleux
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6'1
Weight: 250 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: St. Thomas Aquinas, London Jr. Mustangs
 
Name: Malcom Weekes
Position: Defensive Back
Height: 5'10
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Montreal, Que.
Last Team: John Abbott