Hall of Fame
Kris Sabourin is one of the most accomplished football players in program history. A two-time ECFC Co-Offensive Player of the Year recipient, Sabourin holds the program records in passing touchdowns, total offense, and touchdowns responsible for, while remaining tied for first in yards per carry.
“Being inducted into the Norwich Athletic Hall of Fame is a great honor,” said Sabourin. “It represents a special group of individuals who embody the values instilled at Norwich and represents a select amount of individuals who have excelled in their respective sports. I feel blessed to be included in this group of men and women. Inducted into the Hall of Fame as an individual to me, reflects the great teams that I was fortunate enough to be a part of. My appreciation for the players, coaches, athletic training staff, and everyone else that played a role in my success goes beyond words.”
He also ranks second in pass attempts, pass completions, and pass yards, to additionally go with positions of fourth in rushing touchdowns and rushing attempts. He was a four-year starter at quarterback, reaching the postseason all four years while spearheading Norwich’s first-ever NCAA playoff football team.
“My freshman year entering the season I was the third-string quarterback, and we lost a close game to Western New England for the season opener. Our home opener the following week was against St. Lawrence. We entered the game with three healthy quarterbacks, and by the second quarter we were down to one. I vividly remember the coaches’ facial expressions as they found me on sidelines to prepare me to go in. My first play was inside the 10 going in to score, and I remember the play ‘Chiefs’ called at the time by the offensive coordinator John Rhoades. It resulted in a touchdown on my first play at the collegiate level. From that point forward, I started every game.”
Over Sabourin’s four years, Norwich football logged a 30-13 overall record, while the Cadets enjoyed a 22-4 mark in ECFC play across his four seasons. The Cadets earned an NCAA Tournament berth in Sabourin’s junior year, while his sophomore and senior seasons saw trips to the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl.
“My Norwich experience has created who I am today. Hard work, dedication, sacrifice are just a few strong words that come to mind when I think about what it takes to be a part of a Norwich athletic team. These are values that are instilled by the coaches, but more importantly represented and carried out by the members of the team. As I work in my profession today, I constantly strive to cultivate the culture that shaped me as a person. The relationships that I developed at Norwich are still with me today 10 years later. My gratitude towards Norwich University for instilling values and introducing me to the relationships that I have today, I will be forever thankful for.”
