Academic All-Canadians

Academic All-Canadian list, by year, by institution 2008 (PDF 10.1KB)

Canadian Interuniversity Sport is proud to announce the student-athletes honoured as Desjardins Top 8 Academic All-Canadians for the 2007-08 season.

Click here for academic-all Canadian criteria

Every year, a growing number of CIS student-athletes are recognized as Academic All-Canadians, having maintained a grade point average (GPA) of 80 percent or better over the academic year while competing for one of their university's varsity teams. Once again in 2007-08, over 2,000 student-athletes reached the prestigious status.

Three CIS institutions had over 100 Academic All-Canadians last year including Laval (145), McGill (136) and Alberta (126).

Among these outstanding individuals, one female and one male student-athlete from each of the four CIS regional associations are selected annually as Desjardins Top Eight Academic All-Canadians.

This year's recipients include Acadia cross country runner and physics student Justine McMillan of Truro, N.S., and Dalhousie volleyball player and management student Niklas Rademacher of Bocholt, Germany, representing Atlantic University Sport.

From the Quebec Student Sports Federation, McGill volleyball player and physical education major Jennifer Thomson of Rosemère, Que., as well as Concordia wrestler Tyler Marghetis, a Masters student (teaching of mathematics) from Ottawa.

Representing Ontario University Athletics, Guelph track and field athlete and Masters in Psychology student Brae Anne McArthur of Sarnia, Ont., and Brock basketball player and Masters in Education student Brad Rootes of Niagara Falls, Ont.

From the Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Saskatchewan pole vaulter and Bachelor of Science student Adrianne Vangool of Saskatoon, as well as Winnipeg volleyball player and psychology student Ben Schellenberg of Winnipeg.

"Over 20 percent of all CIS student-athletes achieved Academic All-Canadian status this year, an impressive statistic that demonstrates the Canadian commitment to excellence both on the playing field and in the classroom," said CIS chief executive officer, Marg McGregor. "This year's recipients are all exceptional individuals and they symbolize the many outstanding student-athletes, coaches and universities in Canada."

"Many of the Top Eight recipients in the past have gone on to accomplish great things in sport and in business, and I expect we will hear great things about this year's recipients in years to come."

Following is a profile on each of the 2007-08 CIS Desjardins Top 8 Academic All-Canadian recipient.

Atlantic University Sport

Justine McMillan
Truro, N.S.
Acadia University
Physics (Bachelor of Science, Certificate of Applied Science)
Cross country

Justine McMillan was named most improved athlete on the Axewomen cross country team in 2007 and was also the recipient of the team's Coaches Award for overall achievements. The 22-year-old finished 26th at the AUS championship and qualified for the CIS championship in Victoria. She started her varsity career at Acadia in 2004 as a soccer player and joined the cross country running program in 2006.

McMillan holds a Bachelor of Science (Physics) degree and a Certificate of Applied Science, graduating in May of 2008 with a cumulative grade point average of 4.00. She was a CIS Academic All-Canadian and a member of the Dean's List each of her four years at Acadia and received, among many prestigious academic distinctions, the 2008 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Canadian Graduate Scholarship, the 2008 NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award, and Acadia's Governor General's Silver Medal.

Niklas Rademacher
Bocholt, Germany
Dalhousie University
Management
Volleyball

Niklas Rademacher won an impressive list of awards over his four seasons with the Tigers men's volleyball team. The 6-foot-10 left side hitter was named AUS player of the year and a first-team CIS all-Canadian on three occasions, was the 2007-08 recipient of the Dale Iwanoczko Award as the most outstanding student-athlete in CIS men's volleyball, and guided Dalhousie to four conference titles in as many years. Last season, he led the AUS with 4.94 points and 4.05 kills per set, totals that were good for fifth and sixth in the nation, respectively.

Rademacher graduated in May of 2008 with a Bachelor of Management degree with a cumulative grade point average of 4.03. A CIS Academic All-Canadian and a member of the Dean's List each of his four years at Dalhousie, he received the President's Award in 2007-08 as the Dalhousie varsity athlete best combining academic and athletic excellence. The 26-year-old was also the recipient of Dalhousie's In Course Scholarship, International Students Scholarship and Black and Gold Athletic Award in 2008.

Quebec Student Sports Federation

Jennifer Thomson
Rosemère, Que.
McGill University
Education (Physical & Health Education)
Volleyball

Jennifer Thomson started her varsity career with a bang in 2005-06 when she was chosen CIS women's rookie of the year. The 5-foot-7 power hitter has been named a CIS all-Canadian each of her three seasons with the Martlets, including first-team nods the past two campaigns. The McGill captain and three-time team MVP excelled in all aspects of the game in 2007-08 when she finished third in the QSSF in kills, points and defensive digs per set.

Thomson, a 22-year-old physical education major, has twice earned CIS Academic All-Canadian status and achieved a grade point average of 3.84 (out of 4.00) in 2007-08. A recipient of McGill's Murray Hayes Entrance Scholarship in 2005 and a member of the school's Principal's Student-Athlete Honour Roll, she expects to graduate in 2009.

Tyler Marghetis
Ottawa, Ont.
Concordia University
Masters in Teaching of Mathematics
Wrestling

Tyler Marghetis is one of the most decorated wrestlers in CIS history. In five years of varsity competition at Concordia, the 24-year-old claimed four individual gold medals and one silver at the CIS championship, all in the 76-kilogram weight class. His performances helped the Stingers men finish second at the 2005-06 CIS championship and place third in 2004-05. He was the first alternate for Canada (74 kg) for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

In 2007-08, his first year of a Masters in Teaching of Mathematics, Marghetis maintained a 4.21 grade point average (out of 4.30). He was awarded Concordia's Nick Herscovics Memorial Scholarship, was named a CIS Academic All-Canadian and was a member of the Dean's List. The Ottawa native hopes to pursue a PhD.

Ontario University Athletics

Brae Anne McArthur
Sarnia, Ont.
University of Guelph
Masters in Psychology
Track and field

Brae Anne McArthur claimed the bronze medal in the pentathlon at last year's CIS track and field championship, marking her third CIS medal in five varsity seasons following silver in 2005-06 and bronze in 2004-05. The 25-year-old's performance last winter helped the Gryphons women capture the first CIS title in team history. An exceptional all-around athlete, the two-time Guelph track and field MVP holds the school record in the pentathlon, was part of the relay team that set a Gryphons' mark in the 4 x 400-metre, and ranks third all-time at Guelph in the high jump and long jump.

In 2007-08, McArthur maintained an academic average of 87.94 percent as a Masters student, earning her third nod as a CIS Academic All-Canadian. She obtained her Bachelor degree in 2006 and is working towards a PhD in child clinical psychology.

Brad Rootes
Niagara Falls, Ont.
Brock University
Masters in Education (Applied Health Sciences)
Basketball

Brad Rootes completed his varsity career in high fashion last winter when he led the Badgers to their first CIS men's basketball title since 1991-92 and the second W.P. McGee Trophy in team history. The 24-year-old guard, who was second in the nation with 7.36 assists in his final season at Brock, was named a second-team all-Canadian for the second straight campaign and a first-team OUA West all-star. A two-time OUA West MVP, he became the first player in Brock history to be named an OUA all-star on five occasions.

In 2007-08, Rootes maintained a 90 percent academic average in his Masters in Education program. With one year left in his Masters degree, he is already thinking about starting a PhD.

Canada West Universities Athletic Association

Adrianne Vangool
Saskatoon, Sask.
University of Saskatchewan
Bachelor of Science (Physical Therapy)
Track and field (pole vault)

Adrianne Vangool completed a brilliant varsity track and field career in 2007-08 capturing the pole vault gold medal at the CIS championship for the second straight year and medaling in the event at the CIS Nationals for the fifth time in as many seasons, following a trio of third-place finishes from 2004 to 2006. The 22-year-old helped the Huskies women claim the CIS team title on two occasions, in 2003-04 and 2004-05. The Canadian junior national gold medalist in 2004-05, she went on to represent Canada at the 2005 Summer Universiade in Turkey, the 2005 world junior championships in Italy and the 2006 Francophone Games in Nigeria.

Vangool earned a 85.43 percent academic average in her fifth year of Kinesiology, majoring in exercise and sports studies. A member of the Dean's Honour Roll in each of her five years at Saskatchewan, she kept an 87 percent average from 2003 to 2008. She is the recipient of nine scholarships, bursaries or grants for athletic and academic achievements.

Ben Schellenberg
Winnipeg, Man.
University of Winnipeg
Psychology
Volleyball

Ben Schellenberg put an exclamation point on his varsity career in 2007-08 when he was named CIS men's volleyball player of the year and was the Canada West nominee for the prestigious BLG Award as CIS male athlete of the year. The two-time CIS all-Canadian led the Wesmen to the silver medal at the CIS championship in his final season, one year after guiding the team to a record-tying 10th national title. The 6-foot-6 team captain finished his last campaign in the Top 10 in Canada West in kills, points, hitting percentage, blocks and digs.

A five-time CIS Academic All-Canadian, Schellenberg graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in Psychology in June after posting a final grade point average of 4.39 for the 2007-08 academic year. He received the school's O.T. Anderson Award for distinguished academic and extra curricular performance.