Homecoming Football Coaches Roast

WOLFVILLE, N.S. - A 2015 Homecoming will be filled with special events including the Sports Hall of Fame induction of several football players and teams that will be announced shortly. Also part of the homecoming weekend will be the Coaches Roast.

Four decades of Acadia football coaching greats will be on the hot seat Homecoming Saturday night.  Bob Vespaziani, John Huard, Sonny Wolfe and Jeff Cummins headline a Coaches Roast event in Wolfville.  The four coaches have combined to win 13 conference championships plus two national titles since 1975.

Bob Vespaziani began as Axemen Head Coach in 1971.  After combining to guide Acadia to an 11 and 1 regular season record in 1973 and 1974, the native of Massachusetts coached the Axemen to their first ever conference championship in 1975.  In all, Acadia won three consecutive conference championships under Vespaziani.  He was AUAA Coach of the Year three times during his eight year coaching career at Acadia.  He was inducted into Acadia’s Sports Hall of Fame in  2011.

A native of Waterville, Maine, John Huard took over the helm as head coach in 1979.  The former NFL and CFL linebacker led Acadia to its first national football championship in his rookie season.   The Axemen defeated St. FX in the conference final before beating Alberta in the Atlantic Bowl and Western for the Vanier Cup title.  Under Huard’s guidance, Acadia won three straight conference championships, third in 1981 led the school’s second national championship victory.

Montreal native Sonny Wolfe began a 19 year coaching career with Acadia in 1984.  He enjoyed his first conference championship in 1986 which would be followed by two more in 1995 and 1998.  Following his retirement from CIS football, Wolfe was honoured by Canadian Interuniversity Sport in June 2013. He received the Jean-Marie De Koninck Coaching Excellence Award, presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to university sport.  Wolfe went on to coach the McGill Redmen before retiring.

Current head coach Jeff Cummins will be included in the roast. Cummins is in his 13th season as head coach of the Axemen and over this period, he has captured four AUS championships.

Individual tickets are $125 and a full table of ten is $1,000.  Order now by visiting the Acadia Box Office in person, by phone (902) 542-5500) or online at http://boxoffice.acadiau.ca.  For further information on the Acadia Football Coaches Roast, contact the varsity football office at (902) 585-1174.