Name: Luke Thiel
University: Saskatchewan
Hometown: Regina, Saskatchewan
High school / Cegep: Dr. Martin LeBoldus
Position:Defensive Back/Punt Return Specialist
Academic program: Kinesiology
Year of eligibility: 4
Height: 5-10
Weight: 200
 
Key stats 2011: 9 tackles, 1 interception, 1 breakup in 5 games on defence; 192 yards with 1 touchdown on 16 punt returns in 5 games
Awards & honours (since start of CIS career): 2010 Canada West All-Star on SpecialTeams
 
PROFILE
 
Saskatoon – Luke Thiel, a defensive back who moonlights as a punt return specialist, has turned heads in the Canada West in three seasons.
 
Thiel, who was restricted to six games in 2011 due to injury, is no stranger to making the opposition pay with good field position for the Huskies or finding a major on his own on special teams. In his CIS career, the Regina native and Kinesiology student has tallied two touchdowns on punt returns and amassed 897 punt return yards. Thiel averaged 12 yards on his 16 returns last season.
 
Also excelling in the classroom, the three-time Academic All-Canadian keeps offences guessing on defence with 129.5 career tackles and three interceptions as a defensive back.
 
“Luke can change the game with his ability to return the ball on special teams,” said Huskie head coach Brian Towriss. “In addition to being a talented returner, he has excelled on defence for us. Luke leads by example on and off the field. He is a tremendous student-athlete and we look for him to have an excellent season for us.”
 
A Canada West all-star in 2010, Thiel enters his CFL Draft year after participating in the 2012 CIS East-West Bowl. Thiel’s older brother Peter, who played four seasons with the Huskies at linebacker, is a fullback with the Edmonton Eskimos.
 
Thiel started with the Huskies in 2009 playing in six games as a rookie. He helped Saskatchewan to a gold medal in 2009 at the Football Canada Cup hosted by Saskatoon and excelled at Regina’s Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School.