STFX Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Richard Karikari
STFX Athletics is profiling our five 2022 inductees into the STFX Sports Hall of Fame, today's feature is X-Men Football athlete Richard Karikari from the Class of 2005.
Richard Karikari (Football, Class of 2005)
In an exemplary three-year career on the White and Blue gridiron, Richard Karikari brought the crowd at STFX Stadium to its feet on countless occasions with his dazzling athleticism. A three-time AUS all-star – both as a defensive back and special teams' player – Karikari was the conference's most valuable player in 2002, while garnering a first-team All-Canadian nod and an AUS nomination for the Hec Crighton Trophy. In that stellar season, the native of Accra, Ghana was also one of four nominees for the prestigious BLG Award for the CIS Athlete of the Year.
While with the X-Men, Karikari set program records in punt and kick-off return yards. He is currently second overall in STFX career punt return yards (1432) and third in kickoff return yards (917). After his varsity playing days, Richard was selected 12th in the opening round of the Canadian Football League (CFL) draft by the Montreal Alouettes in 2003 and went on to enjoy a six-year professional career, including a CFL all-star nod in 2005.
The St. Francis Xavier University Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1976 and exists to honour those individuals who have contributed significantly to StFX sports as athletes, teams, or as builders. Those chosen inductees have exemplified the spirit and ideals of Xaverian athletics in their professional and community lives.
The complete class of 2022 inductees into the STFX Sports Hall of Fame includes three athletes: Fred Perry (basketball), Richard Karikari (football) and Ghislaine Landry (rugby), along with long-time basketball coach Peter 'Doc' Ryan as a builder, and the national champion 2010 STFX X-Women rugby squad in the team category. For descriptions of all 2022 inductees, CLICK HERE.
This year's induction ceremony, which is open to the public, is scheduled for Thursday, October 13th at 7:30 p.m., at StFX's Schwartz Auditorium. Inductees will also participate in various ceremony events at varsity games during StFX Homecoming weekend. The induction ceremony will also be live webcasted live by CLICKING HERE.