Over a third of all Golden Bears & Pandas were honoured on Wednesday morning, as Athletics held their annual Academic All-Canadian breakfast.
203 UofA student-athletes earned AAC status in 2023/24, which sets a new record for Academic All-Canadians during a competitive season.
194 Golden Bears & Pandas were named U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians, with another eight golf and rugby 7s student-athletes, which are not U SPORTS-sanctioned sports, named to the All-Academic Team.
Highlights
- The 194 U SPORTS AAC’s sets a new University of Alberta record, besting the mark of 189 in 2020/21.
- 39% of eligible student-athletes were named an Academic All-Canadian in 2023/24 (203/514).
- Golden Bears Wrestling (10), Pandas Golf (4), and Pandas Hockey (18) set new program records in 2023/24.
- 14 Facilities were represented among the 2023/24 Academic All-Canadian total, led by 37 from Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation and 36 from Science.
- The University of Alberta’s All-Time U SPORTS AAC total now stands at 3,956. This is the most in Canadian University Sport history.
- Additionally, 246 athletes from Golf, Rugby 7s and Tennis have earned All-Academic Team honours since 1990, bringing the U of A’s total to 4,202 student-athletes.
- Isaiah Springer (Golden Bears Wrestling) and Claire Signatovich (Pandas Basketball) were named the Male and Female UAlberta Academic All-Canadian student-athletes of the year.
The criteria to be honoured as an AAC is maintaining an average of 80% or better over the academic year, while competing full-time for one of the university’s varsity teams.
Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics also handed out the Kathlene Yetman Trophy and the Mark Goodkey Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the Female and Male Academic All-Canadian student-athletes of the year.
Springer, an Education graduate, truly exemplifies what it means to be a Golden Bear, as a talented athlete, community leader, and tremendous student. A three-time Academic All-Canadian from the Faculty of Education, he was also a champion wrestler and team captain.
During his time with Golden Bears Wrestling, Springer was twice named the Canada West Wrestler of the Year, was awarded the conference student-athlete community service award in 2022, and finished his career as a two-time U SPORTS medalist, and three-time Canada West medalist.
This past spring, he was one of three student-athletes presented with a Block A Ring, given to Bears and Pandas who display exceptional contribution to interuniversity sport in the areas of athletics, academics, community support, and leadership.
Signatovich is a four-time Academic All-Canadian from the Faculty of Engineering, and a star with the Pandas Basketball team.
She is a three-time Canada West All-Star, and has been named the Canada West and U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. She is one of only five women to be named the U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year multiple times.
A star in the classroom and leader with the Pandas, Signatovich is the program’s all-time leader in blocks, and blocks per game, and is third in rebounds per game.