This week, Canada West announced the 2024 conference all-stars for football. Manitoba earned nine selections, the most of any school. The Herd's nine selections are also the third most in program history, and the most since 2001 (school record of 15).
 
Six of Manitoba's all-stars came on the offensive side of the ball, also the most since 2001.
 
After leading the Herd with 420 receiving yards, and finishing fourth in the conference with 33 grabs, AK Gassama earned his third straight selection, becoming the first receiver in school history to three-peat as a Canada West All-Star at his position (Nic Demski was an all-star four straight years, two as a returner in 2011 and 2012, and two as a receiver in 2013 and 2014). Gassama is also the first Bison to receive three straight all-star nods since Grey Cup champ Evan Foster from 2014-16.


 
Unanimous selections went to quarterback Jackson Tachinski, and left guard Giordano Vaccaro.
 
It's the fourth-year Tachinski's first all-star selection, following a season where he was second in efficiency at 150.6, while setting career highs in passing yards (1662), passing touchdowns (11) and rushing yards (570).


 
Meanwhile, Vaccaro is an all-star for the second straight year. He was also a 2023 All-Canadian. A three-year starter who's played at left tackle and guard, Vaccaro becomes the first offensive lineman since Chris Bochen in 2001 and 2002 to earn back-to-back Canada West All-Star selections.
 
Vaccaro, alongside fellow offensive line all-stars Sean Rowe (left tackle) and Mark Rauhaus (centre) helped the Herd set a school record, with 2,016 rushing yards in 2024, which also led the nation. That total broke a 29-year school best by 168 yards. The trio have helped Manitoba rush for over 200 yards ten times over the last two years.
 
It's the first time in 56 years that three offensive lineman from the Bisons have been named Canada West All-Stars.


 
Rounding out Manitoba's offensive selections is running back Breydon Stubbs, also a first time all-star.
 
Stubbs broke a 29-year school record for regular season rushing touchdowns, with 14 on the year, a total which led the nation by four. A four-year starter, his 162 total carries were also the most in U SPORTS, and he rushed for a career high 937 yards overall, second in the nation, just 15 shy of first. Overall, Stubbs has 2,096 regular season rushing yards, one of just six players to eclipse 2k in the regular season in program history.


 
On defence, lineman Collin Kornelson earned his first all-star selection in his fifth season at Manitoba. A versatile force, the CFL Draft pick of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lined up at tackle and boundary edge for the Herd, posting a career-high 18 solo tackles while leading Manitoba with two sacks. He was part of a Bisons defence that led Canada West with 34 combined takeaways.


 
On special teams, history was made, as kicker Maya Turner became the first female in U SPORTS history to be named a Canada West All-Star. She's joined on the all-star squad by punter Ben George. It's the first time since 2019-20 that the Herd have had their place kicker and punter both selected (Matt Riley earned both that season).


 
Turner was consistent all season long, going 12-for-16 overall on field goal attempts, while her field goal percentage of 75 led Canada West. She has 21 regular season field goals a Bison, the seventh most in school history, and she's the first player since Scott Dixon from 2007-08 to hit on at least 75 percent of her field goals in back-to-back seasons (79 in 2023, third-best percentage in program history).


 
Meanwhile, George wrapped up his U SPORTS career in style, finishing second in Canada West and sixth in the nation with a punting average of 42.7, while also handling kickoffs. George's prior four years of eligibility were used at Acadia, where he was an AUS All-Star and also suited up as a starting defensive back. Known as "the leg," his 66-yard boot against Saskatchewan to start the season was the third-longest in Canada West.