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“This nomination is truly humbling experience and a great honour,” said Sinagra, a U of C faculty of arts student. “I have been surrounded by outstanding people who have afforded me the opportunity to learn and develop, without whom this never would have been possible.

“It has taught me the importance of; work ethic, resilience, accountability, time management and leadership. It has provided me an opportunity to improve myself with a real-world education, while playing the sport I love. The success one reaches in school or sports doesn’t come easy, and there is a lot to say about how someone handles failure. I think being able manage the highs and lows and learn from them is the greatest teacher you can have, and that I believe is where a strong character is formed.”

After learning from CFL greats Dave Dickenson and Bo Levi Mitchell during his time in Calgary Stampeders camp last spring, Sinagra, a fourth-year arts student from Pointe Claire, Que., proceeded to have one of the best seasons in U Sports football history.

His 3,233 passing yards set a new U Sports record, as he led the Dinos to a perfect 8-0 season and the most potent offence in the nation, averaging 570.9 yards per game. Sinagra ranked second in the nation in passing touchdowns this season with 23 and led the conference with a passer rating of 126.

Training under the tutelage of the likes of former Hec Crighton-winning quarterbacks Erik Glavic (2007) and Andrew Buckley (2014 and 2015) – who are now coaching with the Dinos – Sinagra has now joined his mentors as a Hec Crighton winner, marking the fifth consecutive season a Canada West player has taken home Canadian university’s biggest individual prize.