CFL.ca Staff
WINDSOR, Ont. – University of Windsor running back Daryl Stephenson is the new CIS record-holder for career rushing yards.
The fifth-year senior from London, Ont. tallied 115 yards on the ground Saturday night in a 34-8 home loss to Guelph to increase his career total to 4,740 yards in 33 conference games, putting him two yards over the previous CIS mark.
The six-foot-two, 225-pound Stephenson set the new CIS standard on a four-yard run with just over six minutes left in the contest.
The previous record was held by former Manitoba Bison Dominic Zagari who had 4,738 rushing yards in 37 regular-season outings over his five-year university career (1991-95).
Stephenson entered the night ranked third on the CIS all-time list. He also passed two-time Hec Crighton Trophy winner Éric Lapointe, who amassed 4,666 yards in 28 games over four campaigns at Mount Allison from 1995-98.
Stephenson, who himself captured the Hec Crighton Trophy as CIS MVP in 2006, kicked off his Lancer career in 2004 with a 1,192-yard campaign, a CIS single-season record for a freshman.
He led the nation in rushing the next two years, with 1,306 yards in 2005 and 1,140 yards in 2006, becoming the first player in CIS history to rush for 1,000 yards or more in three consecutive seasons. He was held to a career-low 764 yards on the ground in six games in an injury-plagued 2007 campaign.
Should he reach the 1,000-yard plateau again this fall, Stephenson would become the first player in CIS history to register four 1,000-yard seasons. He has 338 rushing yards after three outings in the eight-game 2008 schedule.
The Lancers’ (2-1) next game is at Laurier (1-2) next Saturday.
CIS all-time leading rushers: Year-by-year comparison (regular season only)
Daryl Stephenson, Windsor Lancers, 2004-current, 33 GP
– 2004: 1,192
– 2005: 1,306
– 2006: 1,140
– 2007: 764
– 2008 (3 GP): 338
– TOTAL: 4,740
Dominic Zagari, Manitoba, 1991-95, 37 GP
– 1991: 871
– 1992: 623
– 1993: 803
– 1994: 1,260
– 1995: 1,181
– TOTAL: 4,738
Éric Lapointe, Mount Allison, 1995-98, 28 GP
– 1995: 1,062
– 1996: 1,619
– 1997: 470
– 1998: 1,515
– TOTAL: 4,666
