GUELPH, Ont. – When it comes to university athletics in Canada, few institutions across the country can compete with the Guelph Gryphons in regard to offering comprehensive varsity programming, state-of-the-art facilities and world-class coaching. On Tuesday evening (October 2) at Cutten Fields, a total of 79 academic award-winning Gryphon student-athletes congregated for the "2017-18 Academic All-Canadian Reception" to serve as a reminder that there are also few schools in the country that can compete with the Gryphons in regard to achieving academic success as well.
In total, 155 Gryphon varsity athletes achieved an average at, or above, 80% in their respective fields of study during the 2017-18 academic calendar.
For
Scott McRoberts, Director of Athletics at the University of Guelph, it is an accomplishment that cannot be taken lightly. "We are so incredibly proud of our student-athletes. We have 751 varsity athletes competing for the Gryphons. 155 of those have achieved an average of 80% or over. That means that 20.4% of our student-athletes are reaching 80% or higher, which is even higher than the University of Guelph's campus-wide average of 20.1%. We are thrilled to see so many of our varsity athletes excelling both on the field and in the classroom."
Among the standout student-athletes in attendance on Tuesday evening was
Andrea Cimino, a fifth-year athlete on the Gryphons women' soccer team. Cimino, who was named an OUA Second Team All-Star during the Gryphons 2017-18 OUA championship season, was even more impressive in the classroom where she majored in Bio-Medical Science.
The London, Ontario native is now back for her fifth and final season with the women's soccer team while pursuing her Masters of Science in Epidemiology. The demanding schedule when it comes to balancing academics and athletics is something that Cimino says comes naturally, "For me, it's about being organized and multi-tasking. If there is some time on the bus to study, I will, or if I have an hour to kill before practice, I'll go to our team room and work on an assignment. I like to be busy, so I don't mind the schedule. Playing on the soccer team is a great emotional outlet for the stress. It's nice to be able to go to the field and just forget about all the school work for a bit and be with your teammates."
Excelling both academically and athletically can make for long days.
For
Matt Baxter, a Mathematical Science major and third-year outside hitter on the Gryphons men's volleyball team, it is not unusual for him to be on campus for upwards to 12 hours a day while balancing class and practice schedules. "I'm usually at school at 8am and will stay until 10pm. Generally, I try to prioritize certain subjects each day to help me to stay focused on meeting all my deadlines." When asked what it feels like to be in a room surrounded by fellow academic award-winning Gryphons, Baxter is quick to point out the camaraderie that extends beyond just his own teammates, "I'm really proud to say that I recognize almost everyone here. To see so many familiar faces, it's just nice to know that there are so many other Gryphon athletes out there putting in that work when it comes to our studies and sharing the same day-to-day grind."
Tuesday's reception was not only well attended in terms of representation from the student-athletes, but also featured representation from the University's administration. Among those in attendance was
Carrie Chassels, vice-provost, student affairs, as well as various Deans and academic counselors. Although the representation from across campus was broad, the message relayed to the student-athletes was consistent. "We just want to say thank you," adds
Wally Gabler, Associate Director of Intercollegiate Programs with Gryphon Athletics. "Our student-athletes inspire us with their work ethic and passion. They are incredible ambassadors for the University of Guelph and they are what make this athletics department one of the best in the country."
* OUA Achievement Awards are awarded to student-athletes who compete in sports that are sanctioned by the OUA, but do not compete for a U SPORTS Championship *
| 2017-18 Academic All-Canadians (110 Individuals) |
| First Name |
Last Name |
Sport |
Program |
| Megan |
Acheson |
Rugby - Womens |
Animal Biology |
| Roshan |
Aggarwal |
Swimming - Mens |
Biomedical Engineering |
| Katherine |
Bailey |
Hockey - Women's |
Child, Youth & Family |
| Jessica |
Ballard |
Field Hockey - Women's |
Environmental & Resource Mngmt |
| Daniel |
Barros |
Swimming - Men's |
Marine & Freshwater Biology |
| Jordan |
Bates |
Track & Field - Women's |
Marketing Management |
| Matthew |
Baxter |
Volleyball - Mens' |
Mathematical Science |
| Kiersten |
Bell |
Rugby - Womens |
Environmental Engineering |
| Brandon |
Bolzon |
Football |
Marketing Management |
| Emily |
Bowerman |
Track & Field - Women's |
Rural Planning & Development |
| Megan |
Brenkel |
Basketball - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Nicole |
Brown-Shaw |
Soccer - Women's |
Psychology Brain & Cognition |
| Mia |
Cadieux |
Soccer - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Mackenzie |
Cameron |
XC & Track - Women's |
Mathematical Science |
| Jake |
Chaput |
Basketball - Men's |
Human Kinetics |
| Andrea |
Cimino |
Soccer - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Drew |
Walford |
Basketball - Men's |
Human Kinetics |
| Allison |
Clouse |
Soccer - Women's |
Human Kinetics |
| Keri-Lyn |
Copeland |
Swimming - Women's |
Biological Science |
| Justis |
Croasdale |
Football |
Psychology |
| Molly |
Crossman |
Hockey - Women's |
Child, Youth & Family |
| Laura |
Crowdis |
Hockey - Women's |
Accounting |
| Alexandra |
Curran |
Volleyball - Women's |
Biology |
| Brooke |
Davidson |
Soccer - Women's |
Human Kinetics |
| Alicia |
Denoon |
Swimming - Women's |
Leadership & Org. Mngmt |
| Lauren |
Dewar |
Field Hockey - Women's |
Environmental Governance |
| Rhiannon |
Digweed |
Wrestling - Women's |
Studio Art |
| Grace |
Doyle |
Field Hockey - Women's |
Biological Science |
| Derek |
Drouillard |
Football |
Psychology |
| David |
Duhan |
Volleyball - Mens' |
Rural Planning & Development |
| Taylor |
Durham |
Rugby - Womens |
Human Kinetics |
| Orion |
Edwards |
Football |
Criminal Justice |
| Mostafa |
Elkurdy |
XC & Track - Men's |
Environmental Engineering |
| Olivia |
Finch |
Field Hockey - Women's |
Equine Mngmt |
| Emma |
Forcey |
Hockey - Women's |
Leadership & Org. Mngmt |
| Levi |
Fretz |
XC & Track - Men's |
Food & Agricultural Business |
| Kiana |
Gibson |
XC & Track - Women's |
Arts & Sciences |
| Jessica |
Gormley |
Volleyball - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Jacqueline |
Goulart |
Soccer - Women's |
Criminal Justice |
| Willem |
Grant |
Soccer - Men's |
Psychology: Brain & Cognition |
| Kelly |
Gribbons |
Hockey - Women's |
Engineering Systems |
| Aysu |
Gundogan |
Swimming - Women's |
Computer Science |
| Sarah |
Hammond |
Track & Field - Women's |
Applied Human Nutrition |
| Owen |
Hebb |
Track & Field - Men's |
Plant Science |
| Michaela |
Hellinga |
Volleyball - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Amara |
Hill |
Rugby - Womens |
Environmental Science |
| Hailey |
Hitchings |
Track & Field - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Alyssa |
Hodgson |
Soccer - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Sydney |
Holden |
Soccer - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Emma |
Hubbard |
XC & Track - Women's |
English |
| Daniel |
Humphrey |
Wrestling - Men's |
Environmental Management |
| Kristen |
Jay |
Hockey - Women's |
Marketing Management |
| Sydney |
Johnson |
Soccer - Women's |
Microbiology |
| Danielle |
Jossinet |
XC & Track - Women's |
Biomedical Engineering |
| Sasha |
Kennedy |
Swimming - Women's |
Biological Science |
| Samuel |
Kloke |
Volleyball - Mens' |
Environmental Geoscience & Geomatics |
| Sayan |
Ladhani |
Soccer - Women's |
International Development |
| Valerie |
Lamenta |
Hockey - Women's |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Ann-Carolyn |
Lang |
Soccer - Women's |
Applied Human Nutrition |
| Gabriel |
Laplante |
Wrestling - Men's |
Human Kinetics |
| Ashlee |
Lawrence |
Hockey - Women's |
Human Kinetics |
| Lucas |
Liberty |
Swimming - Men's |
Criminal Justice |
| Hannah |
Little |
Wrestling - Women's |
Arts & Sciences |
| Natassya |
Lu |
Wrestling - Women's |
Landscape Architecture |
| William |
Ly |
Swimming - Men's |
Accounting |
| Katherine |
MacMillan |
Field Hockey - Women's |
Accounting |
| Francis |
McCutcheon |
Hockey - Men's |
Marketing Management |
| Claire |
Merrick |
Hockey - Women's |
Landscape Architecture |
| Andrew |
Misner |
Swimming - Men's |
Bio-Resource Management |
| Nyasha |
Mombeshora |
Basketball - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Maja |
Naruszewicz |
Track & Field - Women's |
Child, Youth & Family Studies |
| Emma |
Nero |
Track & Field - Women's |
Criminal Justice |
| Emilie |
Nicholl |
Rugby - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Aaron |
Nugent |
Basketball - Men's |
Political Science |
| Simon |
Paisley |
Swimming - Men's |
Biological Science |
| Jakson |
Paterson |
Volleyball - Men's |
Biomedical Engineering |
| Heather |
Petrick |
XC - Women's |
Human Health & Nutritional Sciences |
| Graham |
Pitfield |
Track & Field - Men's |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Rebecca |
Plouffe |
Field Hockey - Women's |
Biological Science |
| Alexandra |
Proulx |
Volleyball - Women's |
Human Nutrition |
| Daniel |
Reardon |
Swimming - Men's |
Mathematical Science |
| Sophie |
Rodenburg |
Hockey - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Olivia |
Romaniw |
XC & Track - Women's |
Food Science |
| Danielle |
Sauve |
Soccer - Women's |
Child, Youth & Family |
| Kylie |
Shaughnessy |
Rugby - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Andrew |
Shepherd |
XC & Track - Men's |
Biomedical Engineering |
| Zoe |
Sherar |
Varsity Track & Field Female |
Arts & Sciences |
| Chelsey |
Sicard |
Wrestling - Women's |
Biomedical Toxicology |
| Nicole |
Smith |
Track & Field - Women's |
Studio Art |
| Jenna |
Smith |
Track & Field - Women's |
Political Science |
| Gabrielle |
Smyth |
Hockey - Women's |
Accounting |
| Chloe |
Spear |
Track & Field - Women's |
Public Management |
| Megan |
Sullivan |
Soccer - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| William |
Swan |
Football |
Environmental & Resource Mngmt |
| Tara |
Tanasijevic |
Volleyball - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| Mitchell |
Thiele |
Football |
Engineering |
| Kasey |
Thompson |
Swimming - Women's |
Biological Science |
| Mitchell |
Ubene |
XC & Track - Men's |
Engineering |
| Elvir |
Uzunovic |
Wrestling - Men's |
Criminal Justice |
| Shania |
Van Herk |
Swimming - Women's |
Human Kinetics |
| Jonathan |
Wallace |
Basketball - Men's |
Criminal Justice |
| Charlotte |
Ward |
XC & Track - Women's |
Environmental Science |
| Lisa |
Wedel |
Volleyball - Women's |
Human Kinetics |
| Ashley |
Wheeler |
Basketball - Women's |
Child, Youth & Family |
| Caelum |
Wishart |
XC & Track - Men's |
Landscape Architecture |
| Sarah |
Wismer |
XC & Track - Women's |
Biochemistry |
| Christina |
Woloszczuk |
Soccer - Women's |
Biological Science |
| Mackenzie |
Wong |
Hockey - Women's |
Biomedical Toxicology |
| Hannah |
Woodhouse |
XC & Track - Women's |
Biomedical Science |
| April |
Wright |
Rugby - Women's |
Human Kinetics |
|
|
|
|
2017-18 OUA Academic Achievement Award Recipients (45 Individuals) |
| First Name |
Last Name |
Sport |
Program |
| Madeline |
Aarts |
Nordi Skiing |
Biomedical Science |
| Chae-Lynn |
Bailey |
Figure Skating |
Kinesiology |
| Melanie |
Beck |
Figure Skating |
Applied Human Nutrition |
| Alexander |
Boland |
Rowing |
Biomedical Science |
| Christine |
Cash |
Figure Skating |
Biomedical Science |
| Allison |
Caswell |
Nordi Skiing |
Wildlife Biology |
| Joseph |
Ciccia |
Baseball |
Psychology |
| Susanna |
Coss |
Lacrosse |
Neuroscience |
| Graham |
Daly |
Nordi Skiing |
Biomedical Engineering |
| Kaitlyn |
Dennis |
Rowing |
Biological Science |
| Andrew |
Douglas |
Rugby |
Environmental Governance |
| Victoria |
Flood |
Lacrosse |
Physics |
| Nicole |
Gastle |
Lacrosse |
Nutritional Sciences |
| Jacob |
Heroux |
Nordi Skiing |
Biochemistry |
| Jordan |
Hofstra |
Rugby |
Plant Science |
| Elise |
Huet |
Nordi Skiing |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Jordon |
Inkol |
Baseball |
Biomedical Science |
| Nicholas |
Interisano |
Baseball |
Physical Science |
| Catherine |
Jany |
Rowing |
Pharmaceutical Chemistry |
| Nathan |
Johnstone |
Nordi Skiing |
Biomedical Science |
| Mitchell |
King |
Rugby |
Food & Agricultural Business |
| Madeleine |
Landell |
Rowing |
Plant Science |
| Gabriel |
Laplante |
Rugby |
Human Kinetics |
| Simon |
Laughlin |
Rugby |
History |
| David |
Laurie |
Nordi Skiing |
Environmental Science |
| Nathaniel |
Lewko |
Baseball |
Marketing Management |
| Allison |
Lull |
Nordi Skiing |
Animal Biology |
| Rylee |
MacGregor |
Figure Skating |
Biomedical Science |
| Lauren |
Mack |
Figure Skating |
Wildlife Biology |
| Jade |
Marrow |
Figure Skating |
Human Health & Nutritional Sciences |
| Andrew |
McDonald |
Figure Skating |
Biomedical Science |
| Alexandra |
Recalis |
Figure Skating |
Sociology |
| Evan |
Ross |
Baseball |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Natalia |
Savor |
Figure Skating |
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture |
| Carly |
Stephens |
Lacrosse |
Zoology |
| Sarah |
Trilesky |
Lacrosse |
Biochemistry |
| Craig |
Vanderheyden |
Golf |
Accounting |
| Derian |
Wallis |
Lacrosse |
Ecology |
| Meaghan |
Walsh |
Figure Skating |
Human Kinetics |
| Trevor |
Whiton |
Golf |
Environmental Governance |
| Graham |
Wilmot |
Baseball |
Food & Agricultural Business |
| Robert |
Wilson |
Baseball |
Microbiology |
| Isabel |
Zak |
Figure Skating |
Molecular Biology & Genetics |
| Carly |
Zanatta |
Rowing |
Food Science |
| Katja |
Zbogar |
Nordi Skiing |
Animal Biology |
