As the Mount Allison Mounties prepare to kick off their 2025 season Saturday, the focus is squarely on the future. After a difficult 2024 campaign that saw the team finish with a 1-7 record, the storied program is looking to bounce back. At the heart of the team's leadership group is a player well-known to football fans in southeastern Saskatchewan: Weyburn’s Ben Michel.
Entering his fourth year as a linebacker for the Sackville, New Brunswick university, Michel is poised to be a key figure in the team's resurgence. His goals for the season are clear and team-oriented.
“(I) just want to help the team win,” Michel stated. “I just want to do my part so that the team can be successful and we can go further into the season, and we can go to maybe more bowl games, and obviously bring a trophy home when we're done.”
His leadership is backed by a standout 2024 campaign where, despite the team's struggles, he was named the Mounties' Defensive Player of the Year. He led the team with 46 tackles and a sack. He also had a 65-yard interception return against the St. Francis Xavier X-Men. Now, as he enters his senior year, his influence is extending beyond the locker room and onto the recruiting trail, creating a unique connection back to his hometown.
One of the most compelling storylines for the Mounties heading into 2025 is the establishment of a direct talent pipeline from the Weyburn Comprehensive School Eagles to Mount Allison, with Michel serving as the primary architect.
“My coaches asked me, you got anyone that you would have in mind, and I rattled off a few names,” Michel explained. “I try to give them as much information and be a positive source for them... I try to put the two bridges together and hope something can happen, and yeah, it's just worked out for a couple of guys here, and it's been great having us all out here.”
This ‘Weyburn Pipeline’ has already begun to reshape the Mounties' roster, creating a small but growing home away from home for WCS alumni. Running back Owen Istace made the move to New Brunswick, playing his freshman year last season after helping lead the Eagles to a provincial title in 2023. This season, defensive back Jarret Hayward and quarterback Nolen Uhren will be suiting up for the Mounties as freshmen. They also have the experience of winning the big games, being part of the 2023 provincial championship team as well.
The pipeline offers a powerful advantage for everyone involved. Graduating Eagles have a familiar face to ease the difficult transition to university life over 3,500 kilometres from home. For the Mounties, it provides a direct line to a program with a proven track record of developing championship-calibre players. For Michel, it's a chance to give back and build a legacy that will last long after he plays his final down.
Michel's journey from Weyburn to Sackville was a significant leap, inspired by his father's advice to experience life beyond his hometown.
“I always heard my dad talk about how Weyburn's not going anywhere,” he recalled. “You can always come back to Weyburn, so you might as well get out, kind of travel.”
Michel found that Sackville, a town even smaller than Weyburn, offered a similar community feel that made it a home away from home.
As he prepares for his fourth season, Michel is already looking ahead. He confirmed that he plans to use his fifth and final year of U Sports eligibility, meaning the 2025 season will not be his last with the Mounties. Beyond that, the ultimate goal for any top-tier Canadian university player looms: the Canadian Football League. Michel is candid about his professional aspirations.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he shared. “That's what every kid wants to do is take it as far as they can, and the CFL would be, like, truly a dream come true. Obviously, you've got to be playing very well in order to do that, and I got to work hard... if I get the chance, I'd be an idiot not to take it.”
The journey for Michel and the growing Weyburn contingent begins Saturday, August 23rd, when the Mounties host the defending conference champion Bishop's Gaiters to kick off the 2025 AUS season. And while his focus is on bringing a championship to Mount Allison, his connection to his roots remains strong.
“I hope the boys are successful in all the upcoming games, and Go Eagles Go!”