Education
North Carolina State University.
North Carolina State University.
He was called the "Father of Maritime Football" by the Globe and Mail for his work as a coach at Saint Francis Xavier University and his contributions to developing the Vanier Cup as a national championship. Loney was an exceptional football player in Canada after graduating from North Carolina State University. During the Second World War before he was sent overseas to serve in England, he suited up for the Ottawa Combines and the Saint Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy teams in 1943.
He served in the RCN from 1943 to 1957 as a Lieutenant Commander.
Don served in Shearwater as the Base Physical Training and Recreation Officer for two years, and it was during this period that he coached the senior Shearwater Flyers football teams to Nova Scotia and Maritime championships in 1955 and 1956. Loney headed the Saint Francis Xavier X-Men football program from 1957 to 1973.
In 17 seasons at the helm, he compiled an impressive record of 133 wins, 31 losses and two ties, for a remarkable winning percentage of.807. The team went on an undefeated streak over an eight year span.
Time Magazine dubbed Saint Forex as "The Assassins of Antigonish".
Perhaps greater than his coaching career, Loney was a true university football pioneer. He was also one of the architects of the Canadian College Bowl, which kicked off in 1965. Following the 1973 season, the Atlantic Bowl Most Valuable Player award was named after him and, in 2006, the Army of the United States championship final was renamed the Loney Bowl.
He was inducted into Canada"s Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
He was announced for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame on February 21, 2013 as a builder for his contributions to university football in Canada. He was also inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Forces Hall of Fame and StFX Sports Hall of Fame.