The BC Lions Football Club is pleased to announce that Solomon Elimimian, Jovan Olafioye, Adam Bighill, Emmanuel Arceneaux, Chris Rainey and Richie Leone have been named CFL All-Stars for the 2016 season.
Elimimian caps-off a sensational comeback season with his third all-Canadian honour which comes on the heels of his second career Most Outstanding Defensive Player nod in November. The veteran linebacker sits just 13 defensive tackles shy of the club’s all-time mark and is the only player in CFL history to earn three different major player awards.
Olafioye solidifies his place in Lions’ history as one of the most decorated offensive linemen to ever pull on a jersey. His 2016 selection to the all-league squad marks the six-consecutive time he’s accomplished the feat to go along with seven-straight West Division nods, three Most Outstanding Lineman nominations and the overall title in 2012. Perhaps most impressive, Jovan has not missed a single start in seven seasons as a Lion dating back to 2010, a run of 126 games.
Bighill makes the CFL All-Star roster for the fourth time in five years after another solid season at linebacker. His 108 tackles on the year trailed only Elimimian’s 129 and together they became the first teammates in CFL history to each hit the 100-tackle mark in the same season. With today’s announcement, Adam adds to his own growing collection of honours which includes being named the 2015 Most Outstanding Defensive Player and five-straight West Division All-Star selections.
Arceneaux makes it back-to-back CFL campaigns with an All-Star nod after recording 105 receptions for 1,566 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns. It was the most productive season for a Lions’ receiver since Geroy Simon notched 1,856 yards in 2006. Six 100-yard games including a 10-catch, 180-yard effort versus Saskatchewan and another 10-catch, 150-yard outing in Winnipeg were just a sampling of the six-year vet’s dominant play this past season.
One of the CFL’s most dynamic and exciting players, Rainey picks up his first CFL All-Star kudo after a terrific second season as a Lion. Third in the CFL in both punt return and kick return yards, the second-year Leo notched a pair punt return touchdowns against Calgary this past season and led the CFL with 2,945 combined yards.
Punter Leone picks-up his second-consecutive CFL All-Star honour after another dominant season on special teams. Leading the CFL with a 49.3-yard average boot and a net average of 36.9 yards, the second-year Lion consistently flipped the field for the club when it mattered most. Leone also led the league in punt singles with 13.
Along the Leos’ list of CFL all-stars, Elimimian and Leone are scheduled to become free agents in February. On Monday, the club announced Rainey had agreed to a contract extension through the 2018 season. These six Lions, along with Bryan Burnham and Alex Bazzie, were named as Western Division all-stars last month. Both Burnham and Bazzie are slated to become free agents in the new year.