Calgary Stampeders' Jon Cornish walks back to the bench after helping injured teammate Micah Johnson to the locker room during first half CFL football action against the B.C. Lions in Vancouver, B.C., on Friday November 1, 2013. Cornish has capped a stellar season by winning the 2013 Lou Marsh award. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
December 09, 2013 - 11:10 AM
TORONTO, Cananda - Calgary Stampeders running back Jon Cornish has capped a stellar season by winning the 2013 Lou Marsh award.
Cornish became just the third Canadian to win the CFL's outstanding player award after rushing for a league-high 1,813 yards, breaking his own record for the most in a season by a Canadian.
The 29-year-old native of New Westminster, B.C., also led the league with 2,157 yards from scrimmage and 14 TDs en route to being named the CFL's top Canadian for a second straight season.
He's the first Canadian to win the CFL's top player award since Ottawa Rough Riders tight end Tony Gabriel in 1978 and the first CFL player to claim the Lou Marsh award since legendary Ottawa quarterback Russ Jackson in 1969.
Cornish narrowly defeated Milos Raonic, the first Canadian men's singles tennis player to achieve a top-10 world ranking, and Kaillie Humphries, who dominated the women's bobsled circuit this season.
Damian Warner, figure skater Patrick Chan and Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews were the other award finalists.
Cornish was a finalist for last year's award, won by women's soccer star Christine Sinclair.
The trophy is awarded annually to Canada's top athlete as selected by representatives of Canada's leading news organizations. It's named after a former Toronto Star sports editor.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013