Alberta running back Matthew Peterson has been named the 2023 CW Football Player of the Year after leading a resurgent Golden Bears team back to the playoffs with their best regular season record since 2005.

The conference unveiled its major award winners Thursday, which also included UBC's Theo Benedet as Outstanding Lineman, Regina quarterback Owen Sieben as Rookie of the Year, Saskatchewan's Nick Wiebe as Defensive Player of the Year, and Alberta's Chris Morris as Coach of the Year.

Manitoba offensive lineman Mark Rauhaus was named the Student-Athlete Community Service recipient, while Bisons Assistant Coach Vaughan Mitchell was named the conference's Gino Fracas Award nominee for U SPORTS Assistant Coach of the Year.

The winners will go on as Canada West's nominations for the U SPORTS national awards.

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Matthew Peterson - Player of the Year

Powering the Golden Bears to their best regular season in nearly two decades, fourth-year running back Matthew Peterson has been named the Canada West Player of the Year.

Peterson led Canada West with 1,128 rush yards, the second highest rush total in the entire nation. The Brooks, Alberta product finished with an absurd 9.6 yards per carry in 2023, adding four rushing touchdowns for the 6-2 Golden Bears. Peterson also added 11 receptions for 157 yards, leading the conference with 1,285 all-purpose yards.

The former U-18 Team Canada running back also etched his named in various record books in 2023, with his 1,128 rush yards the fourth most in Golden Bears history. Peterson's 104-yard rush against Saskatchewan in Week 3 was the second longest in CW history, with a 95-yard scamper the following week marking the ninth longest.

He is the sixth Golden Bear to win the Canada West Player of the Year Award, and first since Ed Ilnicki in 2017. 

Head coach Chris Morris: "Matthew is one of the most complete players I have ever coached. On the field, Matt is the ultimate competitor. He plays with a ferocity and at a level of physicality that is difficult to match. This mentality combined with his explosiveness and ability to score from anywhere on the field has made him the most dynamic offensive threat in Canada West Football this season."
 

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Chris Morris - Coach of the Year

Guiding the Golden Bears to their first winning season since 2005, Chris Morris has been named the Canada West Coach of the Year.

It is the first Coach of the Year Award for Morris, who has now led the Bears to three playoff appearances in the last four seasons. The 2023 iteration of the Bears finished second in Canada West with a 6-2 record, and have been ranked inside the U SPORTS Top 10 for seven consecutive weeks.

A 14-year CFL veteran and three-time Grey Cup Champion with the Edmonton Elks, Morris led the Bears to the second-highest scoring offence in CW in 2023, with the Bears averaging 30.9 points per game this season. Their 228 rush yards per game led the conference by nearly 60 yards per game, with their 475 yards per game ranking fourth in the nation.

The Bears six regular season wins in 2023 are the most under Morris, who took over the program prior to the 2013 season. He is the seventh Bears head coach to be named the CW Coach of the Year, and will now move forward as the conference's nominee for the U SPORTS Frank Tindall Trophy.  

Interim Director of Athletics Katie Spriggs: "Chris leads by example and he has worked tirelessly for the betterment of the University of Alberta's football program and our student-athletes. It is very gratifying to see Chris recognized with the Canada West Coach of the Year award, but even more so to see the collective efforts of the entire program be rewarded with strong on-field results this season."

Canada West Players of the Year - Alberta
 

Year	Name	U SPORTS
2023	Matthew Peterson
2017	Ed Ilnicki	*
2003	Jarred Winkel
1980	Sean Kehoe
1975	Brian Fyer	*
1971	Mel Smith	*

Canada West Coach of the Year - Alberta
 

Year	Name	U SPORTS
2023	Chris Morris
2004	Jerry Friesen	*
1993	Tom Wilkinson
1987	Jim Donlevy
1984	Jim Donlevy
1983	Jim Lazaruk
1971	Jim Donlevy	*

* - Also won U SPORTS Award