The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks are looking to build on one of the most memorable campaigns in program history as they begin their 2025 season with new leadership under centre and championship ambitions firmly intact.
Last fall, Laurier stormed through the OUA, capped by a 51-31 victory over Western to capture the 116th Yates Cup and a 48-24 win over Bishop’s in the Uteck Bowl. Their dream run fell just short in the Vanier Cup, where they dropped a 22-17 decision to Laval. Even with the heartbreak, head coach Michael Faulds views the season as a testament to the program’s culture.
“It’s about being more concerned with the process than the results,” Faulds said. “When you do that, the wins and the accolades tend to follow. Our guys buy into that every week.”
The offseason brought a monumental shift when quarterback Taylor Elgersma, the face of Laurier’s resurgence, signed with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. Replacing him was the biggest question mark heading into training camp, but Faulds believes the Golden Hawks have their answer in Ohio transfer Callum Wither.
Wither, once a Division I recruit, arrived in Waterloo as one of the top-ranked Canadian quarterbacks available. After winning an open competition in camp, he impressed in his debut against Guelph, shaking off three years without live game action.
“He has a very high ceiling,” Faulds said. “He brings athletic ability, a quick release, and leadership qualities. We expect him to keep settling in as he gets more comfortable with the playbook and his receivers.”
Wither will have a talented roster around him, including a deep receiving corps and a defence that stifled opponents throughout 2024. The Golden Hawks’ 2025 schedule is loaded with challenges, including early matchups with Windsor and McMaster, as well as a rematch with Western that is sure to be circled on both calendars.
The expectations surrounding Laurier are higher than ever, with fans packing Knight-Newbrough Field after last year’s breakthrough. Faulds is quick to remind his players that outside noise can’t outweigh internal accountability.
“No one should ever put more pressure or higher expectations on you than you yourself,” he said. “Because of last year’s success, teams are going to give us their best every week. That means we must be sharper in practice and continue improving game by game.”
With the program’s first Vanier Cup appearance since 2005 fresh in memory and a new quarterback era underway, the Golden Hawks enter 2025 with both excitement and scrutiny. The target is squarely on their backs, but if Faulds’ process-driven philosophy holds, Laurier believes it is ready for another national run.
