Fraser Valley – The University of the Fraser Valley athletic department is proud to announce that seven athletes have earned Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Academic All-Canadian honours for 2014-15.
Student-athletes must achieve an average of 80 per cent or higher in their classes, while competing in a CIS varsity sport, to qualify for the award.
Cascades who achieved that benchmark were women’s basketball players Sarah Wierks (Chilliwack, B.C., 4.00 grade point average) and Danielle Vanbergen (Courtenay, B.C., 3.98 GPA); men’s basketball players Jasper Moedt (Abbotsford, B.C., 3.95 GPA) and Vijay Dhillon (Richmond, B.C., 3.66 GPA); women’s soccer players Kara Delwo (Abbotsford, B.C., 3.75 GPA) and Dayle Jeras (Langley, B.C., 3.55 GPA); and Kree Byrne (Abbotsford, B.C., 3.76 GPA) of the men’s soccer team.
“I am always excited when I see how many of our athletes are excelling in the classroom as well as in their sport,” said Steve Tuckwood, UFV’s director of athletics and campus recreation. “The combination of academic and athletics success will prepare them well for the years beyond graduation and make them highly sought after from potential employers. Congratulations to all of them on this wonderful accomplishment.”
Wierks was singled out for an additional honour earlier this fall – she was named a CIS Top Eight Academic All-Canadian, which is the national body’s most prestigious academic award. One male and one female Academic All-Canadian from each of the four regional associations are selected, and Wierks was the Canada West female representative. The Top Eight were recognized by the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, at a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa last week.
The seven CIS Academic All-Canadians join three athletes from the Cascades’ Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) sports – volleyball and golf – whose 2014-15 Academic All-Canadian honours were announced in the spring. The CCAA version of the award requires a conference all-star nod in addition to the academic element. Those honourees were Aaron Pauls (men’s golf, 3.75 GPA), Joel Kleingeltink (men’s volleyball, 3.43 GPA) and Michelle Zygmunt (women’s volleyball, 3.44 GPA).
The Cascades’ success in the classroom doesn’t end with the high-achieving Academic All-Canadians. Forty-four athletes achieved at least a 3.0 GPA in 2014-15, representing 30 per cent of the varsity athlete student body.
