Football | 11/6/2025 2:30:00 PM

York University Lions football players Jack Roberts and Nathan Walker were among those honoured at the 2025 OUA Football Awards Luncheon on Thursday in Hamilton.

Roberts, a rookie free safety from Surrey, B.C., entered the season as one of the top high school recruits in the country after being named a B.C. all-star last season. He one-upped that by being named a second team conference all-star in his first U SPORTS season. The disaster and emergency management student started all eight games in the middle of the Lions defensive backfield, leading the team in tackles with 34. That included a season-high 6.5 in the Lions Week 8 game against the Western Mustangs.

Walker, a fourth-year punter and placekicker from Bomanville, Ont., brings home his first career OUA all-star selection after a stellar season punting the bal that saw him finish second in the OUA in average at 45.6. He punted 48 times on the season for 2,190 yards, to lead the conference in total punt yards. His most efficient game by average came in the season finale against Guelph when he averaged a season-high 47.8 yards per punt.

The Lions boast a second team all-star for a second straight year, following Brody Clark and Peyton Ryder, who both made the second team in 2024 after finishing in the top three in the nation in total tackles, while they also have an all-rookie nominee for a third straight year, including offensive lineman Jayden Savage in 2024.