TORONTO — Noah Picton, a third-year quarterback from the University of Regina, was named the 50th Hec Crighton winner by U Sports on Thursday night.

The annual award is given to the most outstanding player in U Sports football. Picton was honoured for his 2016 standout season during the All-Canadian Awards Gala.

The business administration student from Regina became the first Rams standout to claim the Hec Crighton Trophy since the program joined U Sports in 1999. He also became the 50th recipient of the prestigious award since its inception in 1967.

Signal callers have now merited Canadian university football’s highest individual honour each of the past 10 years and 30 times overall. For the first time this season, all four national nominees were quarterbacks.

Other U Sports award recipients announced at the Hamilton Convention Centre were Manitoba linebacker DJ Lalama, who captured the Presidents’ Trophy as the stand-up defensive player of the year; Laval defensive end Mathieu Betts, who merited the J.P. Metras Trophy as most outstanding down lineman; Mount Allison quarterback Jakob Loucks, who received the Peter Gorman Trophy as top rookie; Manitoba defensive back Cam Teschuk, who claimed the Russ Jackson Award recognizing excellence in football, academics and citizenship; and Wilfrid Laurier head coach Michael Faulds, winner of the Frank Tindall Trophy.

The gala was held as part of the Vanier Cup, which will see the Laval University Rouge et Or and University of Calgary Dinos battle for national supremacy Saturday at 1 p.m. EST at Tim Hortons Field.

Official Vanier Cup website: www.vaniercup.com