At the 2025 CFL Awards on Thursday night, Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Trey Vaval took home the Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award and Most Outstanding Rookie award.
Trey Vaval is six foot and weighs 170 pounds. The 25-year-old from Blue Springs, Missouri, signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on February 4, 2025. In 2025, Vaval made 21 tackles, four tackles on special teams, one interception, 37 kick returns for 918 yards, two touchdowns, 75 punt returns for 918 yards, two touchdowns, and six missed field goal returns for 391 yards, and one touchdown in 17 games. Vaval set the CFL single-game record with 199 yards in missed field goals in Week 16. He was named a CFL West All-Star and the All-CFL Team
The Atlanta Falcons signed Vaval as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2024. In 2024, he made five tackles (5 solos) in three preseason games. The Falcons released him on August 25, 2024.
Collegiately, Vaval played two seasons at Missouri Western State University (2019, 2021) with 45 tackles (36 solos, 9 assists), three tackles for loss, one interception for 20 yards, four pass breakups, 52 kick returns for 1,326 yards, two touchdowns, and 35 punt returns for 582 yards in 22 games for the Griffons.
He was named First Team All-MIAA, AFCA All-American, the Don Hansen All-Super Region Three Co-Freshman of the Year, and the Agent Barry Live United Bowl MVP.
Then, he transferred to Minnesota State University (2022-23) with 69 tackles (52 solos, 17 assists), 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions for 27 yards, 14 pass breakups, five blocked kicks, 27 kick returns for 617 yards, one touchdown, 45 punt returns for 704 yards, and one touchdown in 25 games for the Mavericks.
In the 2023 NCAA Championship Game against Augustana, Vaval made three tackles (2 solos, 1 assist), a half tackle for loss, one pass breakup, one blocked kick, five kick returns for 127 yards, one touchdown, and one punt return for 22 yards. He was named a two-time First Team All-NSIC and an All-American Honorable Mention by Don Hanson.
