The full rosters and coaching staffs have been announced for the 2026 U SPORTS East-West Bowl, taking place at the University of Waterloo on Saturday, May 9. Among those participating are Bisons Sean Rowe and Gavin Perkins. 

The East-West Bowl features the top 107 Canadian university football players eligible for the 2027 CFL Draft as they look to showcase their skills to coaches, general managers, and personnel from the Canadian Football League. 

Rowe, a 6'5", 315-pound offensive lineman from Winnipeg will compete for Team West. A three-year starter at left tackle, his time with the Herd has been historic. Rowe became the first 17-year-old true freshman to start at left tackle during legendary head coach Brian Dobie's 29-year tenure, and later that year he was named Bisons Male Rookie of the Year, becoming the first offensive lineman in program history to do so. 

Additionally, in 2024, Rowe was named U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian, helping Manitoba rush for 2,106 yards. That total led the nation and was a school record. Last year, he was instrumental in helping the Bisons lead Canada West in rushing yards, with 1,486. 

Perkins, a 6'4", 250-pound defensive lineman from Thunder Bay, Ontario, will suit up for Team East. A former standout quarterback for the Hammarskjold Vikings, Perkins (a 2019 recruit) made the shift to defensive line in the 2022 season. His impact has been felt not only in the front four, but also on special teams. He made his first start in the rotation on September 16, 2022 against UBC, recording two bone-jarring tackles on punt cover at the field guard position. He added another against Calgary the following week.

Overall since 2022, Perkins has recorded 19 tackles, a significant amount of which have come on punt cover and kickoff. He is widely regarded as one of the hardest hitters in Canada West. Perkins has also overcome adversity, battling back from a significant knee injury that sidelined him for all of the 2024 season.