HAMILTON, Ont. -- Western running back Tyler Varga was presented with the Norm Marshall trophy as OUA Rookie of the Year on Thursday, as the league handed out its major individual awards at a gathering in Hamilton, Ont.

Varga (Kitchener, Ont.) had an exceptional first year with the Mustangs in 2011, finishing the regular season with a CIS-leading 15 touchdowns. His 799 total yards on the ground ranked second in the OUA and fifth in the CIS.

The 18-year-old became just the fourth Mustang to win OUA Rookie of the Year honours in the award’s 36-year history. The last to do so was Chris Ullerick in 2003.

It didn’t take Varga long to find success in the OUA. He scored three touchdowns in his Western debut in early September, and followed that up with an impressive 149-yard, four-touchdown performance in Western’s 48-21 win over McMaster in week 2.

“Tyler has made a big impact,” said Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall. “I knew, coming in, that he was an outstanding talent, but he has been even better than I expected.”

Varga was key during last week’s 33-27 win over Windsor in the OUA Semi-Final, running 33 times for 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Mustangs will be looking for a repeat performance from the rookie in this weekend’s Yates Cup contest against the Marauders.

As the Norm Marshall trophy winner, Varga will now go forward as the OUA nominee for the Peter Gorman trophy (CIS Rookie of the Year).

2011 OUA FOOTBALL MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

Most Valuable Player – Michael DiCroce (McMaster)
President’s Trophy (Stand-up Defensive Player) – Ryan Chmielewski (McMaster)
J.P. Metras Trophy (Lineman of the Year) – Osie Ukwuoma (Queen’s)
Norm Marshall Trophy (Rookie of the Year) – Tyler Varga (Western)
Russ Jackson Nominee – Dillon Heap (Laurier)
Dave “Tuffy” Knight Award (Coach of the Year) – Joe D’Amore (Windsor)
Volunteer Coach of the Year – Brian Cluff (Guelph)
Officials Award of Merit – Kevin Horton