White earns an honorable mention for the 2024 Cornish Trophy

Montana receiver Keelan White, a native of North Vancouver, B.C., received an honorable mention for the 2024 Jon Cornish Trophy on Thursday, presented annually to the most outstanding Canadian student-athlete in NCAA football.

The Cornish Trophy Committee named White as one of just four honorable mentions for the prestigious award, alongside its five finalists that represent the very best of Canadian talent in the U.S.

The winner of the 2024 Cornish Trophy will be announced on Monday, December 23. This year's finalists include Elic Ayomanor (WR, Stanford – Medicine Hat, AB); Ty Benefield (S, Boise State – Vancouver, BC); Dariel Djabome (LB, Rutgers – Longueuil, QC); Jett Elad (DB, UNLV – Mississauga, ON); Kurtis Rourke (QB, Indiana – Oakville, ON).

Other players to earn an honorable mention are Jaylen Smith (LB, North Texas – Hamilton, ON); Rohan Jones (TE, Montana State – Montreal, QC); Nick Cenacle (WR, Hawai'i – Montreal, QC); and White.

Named after former CFL star and Kansas Jayhawks standout Jon Cornish, the trophy recognizes the top Canadian player in NCAA football each season. Winners are selected for their on-field excellence, leadership, contributions to their respective programs, and have demonstrated elite skill and perseverance. The award has been presented since 2017. The trophy is presented at and in conjunction with the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in Hamilton, Ontario, on an annual basis and is on permanent display there.

White came to Montana as a walk-on in 2019 and became one of the top receivers in Grizzly history in his illustrious career, making 41 starts and a school record 57 appearances.

He graduates with 161 career catches to sit No. 11 in program history for 1,862 yards – No. 21 in program history. His 14 touchdown catches are a Grizzly top 25 as well. He also holds the school record for the longest play from scrimmage, hauling in a 97-yard touchdown catch against Sacramento State as a junior.

He was Montana's offensive MVP in 2023 and capped his senior year at UM with another team-high performance, leading the Griz with 628 yards on 57 catches and four TDs to average just over 11 yards per catch and 48 yards per game – landing him among the Big Sky's 15 best receivers in 2024.

White was ranked preseason at No. 10 on the top 20 Canadians eligible for the 2025 CFL Draft by the league's scouting bureau. The 2024 CFL Combine is set to be held in Regina, Saskatchewan, in March of 2025, with the Draft held later in the spring.

Montana built heavily on its rich history with the CFL in 2024, with three other Grizzlies now signed to play north of the border next season. Former offensive lineman Chris Walker signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and former linebacker Braxton Hill signed with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders earlier in the fall. Most recently, former Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year Alex Gubner also signed with Saskatchewan.

Grizzly great Dave Dickenson is currently the head coach and G.M. of the Calgary Stampeders, and his brother, and former UM player and coach Craig Dickenson is the special teams coordinator at Calgary as well.

University of Montana Athletics

White earns an honorable mention for the 2024 Cornish Trophy

Players Mentioned

Alex Gubner

Braxton Hill

Chris Walker

Keelan White

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