WINDSOR, Ont.- The Windsor Lancers men's football team's quest for the Yates Cup begins this Sunday, August 25 at Alumni Field where they will welcome the Waterloo Warriors for an end-of-summer clash to kick-off the 2013 fall campaign.

Game-time is set for 1:00 p.m. The contest will be available live online at www.golancers.tv.

The Lancers will aim to bounce back from a 2012 season that saw them finish with a 3-5 conference mark, good enough for fifth place in the OUA standings. An early playoff exit suffered at the hands of the rival Western Mustangs in the OUA quarter-finals left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Lancers, who after a renaissance season the year before were expecting bigger and better things. However, unfulfilled aspirations have left the men hungry for both regular season and playoff success in 2013.
 
"This season we are looking to build upon our two straight playoff appearances and begin to take the next step in the development of our program," said head coach Joe D'Amore.
 
The Lancers have the potential to boast one of the biggest offensive threats in the CIS. This is highlighted by two-time OUA all-star Austin Kennedy, who ranked first in the country last year with a formidable 2,637 passing yards, an average of 329.6 yards per game.
 
The hometown product out of Vincent Massey S.S. made it rain in a spectacular season opener against Ottawa in 2012, recording 482 passing yards and six touchdown passes. He totalled 19 passing majors last year, and more control over his interception count could arguably make Kennedy the most lethal pivot in CIS football.
 
While the absence of CIS all-Canadian and Olympic Shield winner Jordan Brescacin and his 2012 totals of 122.4 receiving yards per game (second in CIS) and eight reception majors (tied for first in CIS) will certainly be missed, there is still an abundance of talent within Windsor's offensive ranks.
 
There is no better example of this than fourth-year receiver Evan Pszczonak, who quietly had a breakout season last fall for Windsor. His 87.2 reception yards per game ranked the Amherstburg, Ont. native 10th amongst CIS receivers, while his six touchdown catches placed him third.
 
Kicker Dan Cerino (Stoney Creek, Ont.) is returning for his fifth and final season with the Lancers. The second-team OUA all-star in 2012 was perfect on extra point converts (27/27), adding 56 points including notching eight of 12 field goal attempts last season. Fellow fifth year Mitch Dender will look to improve upon a strong season in 2012 when he recorded 285 yards on the ground and picked up two rushing majors.
 
The senior running back was also a force on special teams last year, notching 204 yards on six kick-off returns. This included the longest kick-off return in Lancers history when the Amherstburg native picked up a return of 105 yards against Waterloo. In addition, Gilbert Stewart (Brampton, Ont.) led Windsor with ten kick-off returns for 211 return yards while Keaton Jones (Waterloo, Ont.) topped the Lancers in punt returns (25), punt return yards (201) and average yards per punt return (8.0). Both will be key components to Windsor's special team success.  
 
The Lancers will look to leaders Tai Pham and Josh Burns to provide the backbone for Windsor's defence. Pham (London, Ont.), who is heading into his third year, was second in total tackles last season with 36.5. He also led the Lancers with 7.5 sacks and picked up one forced fumble, while Burns (LaSalle, Ont.), a CIS East West Bowl participant, picked up 27.5 tackles and one interception last year.
 
Linebacker Frank Renaud (Windsor) was third in team tackles (32.5) and led the Lancers with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries last season while tallying one interception in his rookie campaign, and will be looking to make an even larger impact this fall.
 
In addition, the Lancers have added depth in all aspects of the game with a strong recruiting class, highlighted by multiple position talent and hometown native Beau Lumley, who has the potential to be immediately impactful in the special teams game this year. Running back Nigel Applewhaite (Hamilton) led Westdale S.S. to a city championship, and will add depth to Windsor's ground game.
 
Brett Boersma out of Sarnia's Northern C.I. will bring height and size to the offensive line, while defensive back prospect Matt Gayer (Leamington, Ont.) was a beast at Cardinal Carter S.S. last season, notching 48 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and four interceptions.
 
"With a good core of veterans and some young players ready to accept their new roles this season, we feel like we can compete with every team in the OUA as long as we stay healthy and continue to prepare hard for each game," said D'Amore.