Bombers Ink Joey Mikawoz
Published on January 14, 2003 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Winnipeg Blue Bombers News Release
WINNIPEG, MB â The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today welcomed back a player who attended last year's training camp by adding Winnipegger Joey Mikawoz to its roster.
A hard-hitting linebacker, Mikawoz (6-2, 235, Manitoba '02, DOB: Jan. 24, 1976 in Winnipeg, MB) returns to the Blue Bombers after another outstanding year of college football with the University of Manitoba Bisons.
"Joey proved throughout his college career that he can play at our level and we will be hard pressed to keep him off our roster," said Brendan Taman, Winnipeg's vice-president of player personnel.
Mikawoz performed well at the Big Blue's 2002 camp. He appeared to have a roster spot locked up but suffered an injury in an exhibition game against the Roughriders (Winnipeg vs. Saskatchewan, June 8, 2002) that ended his dream of making the squad that year.
Mikawoz â one of Canada's best college defenders â first signed with the Blue Bombers, May 15, 2002.
The football club originally chose Mikawoz â the 2000 CIAU President's Trophy winner as the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in Canadian college football â in the 5th Round (44th Overall) of the 2002 Canadian College Draft, held April 25, 2002.
THE COLLEGE YEARS
Mikawoz comes to the Big Blue with big credentials. He was a key component to the nation's top college defence in 2002, leading the Bisons to a perfect 8-0 regular-season record.
Mikawoz was a Second-Team CIS All-Canadian and a First-Team Canada West All-Star in 2002. He placed 9th in Canada in quarterback sacks with five.
Mikawoz was a major force for a Manitoba Bisons side that advanced to the 2001 Vanier Cup against the St. Mary's Huskies.
Playing for 2001 CIS Coach of the Year Brian Dobie, the fleet-footed Mikawoz used his speed and instinctive football abilities to the max â tracking down opposing quarterbacks and slamming down runningbacks like they were cheap garbage can lids.
He was CIAU First-Team All-Canadian and a unanimous Canada West First-Team All-Star in 2000. He was a CIAU Second-Team All-Canadian in 1999. He added Canada West First-Team All-Star honors to his trophy case again in 2001.
The 2000 season was a remarkable one for Mikawoz. Along with the honors listed above, he copped Canada West Defensive Player of the Week honors twice: Sept. 19, 2000 & Nov. 14, 2000. He was 2nd in Canada in defensive tackles with 65. He paced a dominant Bison defence that led the conference in quarterback sacks with 25 and only allowed 17 points a game â the lowest total in the Canada West Conference.
The 2000 playoffs were just as meaningful for Mikawoz, who in just two games amassed 26 defensive tackles, an interception, a safety and a quarterback sack.
Prior to the 2000 CIAU season, Mikawoz stood out in the inaugural Canadian Football Varsity Stars All-Star Game. In that contest he led the West team with six defensive tackles, adding another tackle on special teams.
Mikawoz is the perfect symbol for elite-level student-athletes because he performs as outstanding in the classroom as he does on the field. An engineering student, he is a multi-time Academic All-Canadian.
OTHER FACTS
Before he attended the University of Manitoba, Mikawoz played junior football for the Edmonton Huskies. He was among the club's top three defenders in both 1996 and 1997.
Mikawoz is the cousin of Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame member Stan Mikawos, who played for Winnipeg from 1982-1996 and was the club's territorial selection in the 1982 Canadian College Draft.
Mikawoz is hoping he to be the 14th Manitoba Bison product drafted to ever wear Blue & Gold. Presently, the club has three former members of the Hustlin' Herd on its roster that the club had drafted in the past: fullback Wade Miller, offensive lineman Matt Sheridan and defensive end Wayne Weathers.
Mikawoz is also aiming to be the 9th person drafted in the 5th Round to make the Big Blue. The last person chosen in that round to do so was offensive lineman Grant Everett, who was on Winnipeg's practice roster in the 2000 season.
Mikawoz is looking to become the first drafted linebacker to make the Blue Bombers since Northern Illinois product Garrett Sutherland did so in 1998. In all, 17 other drafted linebackers have successful contributed to the Big Blue.
Canadian Football League Stories from January 14, 2003
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