ABOUT COACH BLAKE:
Blake Nill is synonymous with success when it comes to U SPORTS football. Already one of the most decorated coaches in the country after brilliant stints at Saint Mary’s and Calgary, Nill made history with the UBC Thunderbirds in 2015, his first with the program. In 2016, Nill led the Thunderbirds to the Hardy Cup final game against Calgary, where they were defeated 46-43. The 2016 Hardy Cup final was the ninth consecutive year Nill’s teams have played for the Canada West title.
In his debut season with the Blue and Gold, he led a remarkable turnaround, guiding the squad to the Vanier Cup national championship. The year began with a triumphant non-conference win at Laval in Quebec City. The team then recorded a 6-2 regular season, which was followed up by playoff wins against Manitoba, Calgary, St. Francis Xavier, and finally Montreal in the U SPORTS title game in the very same Stade TELUS-Université Laval where its season began.
UBC won the Canada West Hardy Cup championship and the Vanier Cup for the first since 1997. It was school’s 15th conference title and fourth national championship overall. Nill became the first coach in U SPORTS history to guide two different schools to Vanier Cup victories.
Nill came to Vancouver after nine years as head coach of the Calgary Dinos. Prior to that, he spent eight seasons as head coach at Saint Mary’s in Halifax. In 19 campaigns as a U SPORTS head coach, Nill has a regular season and playoff record of 144-55. In Calgary, Nill led the Dinos to three Vanier Cup appearances (2009, 2010 & 2013) and a record six straight Hardy Cup Championships (2008-13) as the Canada West’s top team.
In each of his last seven seasons in Calgary, the Dinos won at least five regular season games and one playoff game. Nill won the Frank Tindall Trophy as U SPORTS Coach of the Year in 1999 and was a finalist in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009, 2012, and 2013. He has been named Canada West coach of the year on three occasions: 2009, 2012, and 2013.
A native of Hanna, Alta., Nill’s first head coaching job in U SPORTS was with Saint Mary’s. In eight years with the Huskies, he led them to a record six straight Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championships (1999-2004), four trips to the Vanier Cup (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003), and two Vanier Cup Championships (2001 & 2002).
Nill’s U SPORTS coaching career began at St. Francis Xavier as a defensive coordinator in 1992. He spent six years with the X-Men, helping them to a Vanier Cup appearance in 1996.
During his playing days, Nill suited up for the Calgary Dinos from 1980 through 1982. He was selected by the Montreal Concordes in the third round, 19th overall in the 1983 CFL Draft. He played in the CFL from 1983-88 with Montreal, Hamilton, and Winnipeg.
Nill graduated from Concordia (Que.) in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts, and has a Bachelor of Science and a Masters of Education from St. Francis Xavier.
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