Former Varsity Blues football players Hugo Lopez and Chris Kowalczuk make their CFL debuts this weekend (July 1-3) as members of the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, respectively.
Drafted 14th overall in 2011 by the Eskimos, Lopez will suit up as Edmonton opens the regular season at the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday at 5 p.m. Lopez joined the Varsity Blues after word that the Waterloo Warriors would not participate in the 2010 OUA football season.
The Newmarket, Ont., native made 22 tackles and one interception in eight games played in 2010, and helped the Blues upset the then No. 2 Ottawa Gee-Gees at home – U of T’s first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since defeating Waterloo 21-15 on Sept. 19, 1997.
A 6-foot-6, 298-pound offensive lineman, Kowalczuk spent the final two weeks of the 2009 CFL season on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats practice roster after signing with them on October 28, following the final game of his collegiate career. He then signed with Winnipeg, where he spent the entire 2010 season on their practice roster.
The Brampton native played four seasons (2006-09) at the University of Toronto as a guard and tackle and started 24 straight games from 2007-09. Kowalczuk is now on the Blue Bomber’s active roster and will take to the field as they face Hamilton on Friday at 5 p.m.
Chris Kowalczuk Player Profile
For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite U of T athletes and teams, please visit www.varsityblues.ca
Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.
