By Brian Schultz
A record number of University of Manitoba athletes have achieved CIS Academic All-Canadian status.
At the end of the 2011-12 season, Bison Sports says 102 of the U of M’s 308 student-athletes qualified for the designation. All-Canadians are students who maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (80%) or better. It’s the first time more than 100 students have achieved this status at the U of M.
“I’m so very proud of the academic success of our student athletes once again this year,” said Bison Sports athletic director Coleen Dufresne. “They continue to raise the bar by increasing the number of Bisons who attain a minium GPA of 3.5.”
Bison women’s soccer athlete Jaime Lacoste finished her athletic career by achieving Academic All-Canadian status in each of the five years of eligibility.
Ten more athletes are receiving the award for the fourth time, including football’s Thomas Hall, women’s soccer players Paula Fast and Meagan Smith, men’s swimmer Patrick Boreskie, women’s track and field Alex Allen, men’s track and field Zacharie Durand, Nicholas Sader and Peter Tarleton, women’s volleyball Kristi Hunter, and men’s volleyball player Dane Pishcke.