UBC Thunderbirds safety
Alex Babalos earned the Canada West's Defensive Athlete of the Week honours for the second time this season after his 15.5 tackle, one interception, and one forced fumble performance in the T-Birds 25-17 loss to Manitoba last Friday in their season finale.
Babalos capped off his second CIS season with an impressive display and will now surely lead the CW in tackles after league play ends this coming weekend. He currently leads the conference with 65 total tackles, 19.5 ahead of Alberta's Jean-Marc Jones. That total, if it holds up, would be the highest in a season in the Canada West since Regina linebacker Steve Wilson had 90 in 2006. He also leads the league in tackles per game with 8.1.
Babalos also made a spectacular play on special teams to help set up UBC's first touchdown. Streaking down the right sideline past his blocker on a UBC punt, Babalos jarred the ball loose from Bison return specialist Jeremy Botelho at the Manitoba 20-yard line before recovering the fumble. UBC found the end zone on the next play, taking a 10-9 lead early in the third quarter.
The Delta, B.C. native added a highlight-reel interception in the end zone, snuffing out a Bisons drive in a back and forth third quarter. It was his second pick of the year.
The second-year safety also won the award on October 5 when he made 13.5 tackles in a T-Bird loss to Calgary.
