ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Adam Melanson, Acadia

The AUS rookie of the year is Acadia defensive tackle Adam Melanson.

The 6-foot-2, 275-pound arts student from Kentville, N.S. started in all eight of Acadia's regular season games this season and their lone playoff game.

Melanson posted 23.5 tackles this season (15 solo and 17 assisted), including 1.5 sacks and six tackles for losses of 20 yards.

"Adam came in with big expectations and a lot of hype and didn't disappoint," said Acadia Axemen head coach Jeff Cummins. "Adam started all nine games we played this year and kept himself in the lineup. Adam Melanson is a name that will be heard for years to come in this conference."

This is the second consecutive season that rookie of the year honours have gone to an Acadia student-athlete. Thomas Troop of the Axemen earned the title in 2012. Prior to last year, Elliot Richardson was the most recent Acadia player to be named AUS rookie of the year. He earned the title in 2005.

Mount Allison's Sebastien Roy (1999) and StFX's Jeremy Steeves (2001) are the most recent Atlantic conference winners of the Peter Gorman Trophy as the top rookie in CIS football.