The University of Calgary celebrated a remarkable academic achievement this week, honouring 214 Dinos student-athletes for their scholarly excellence during the Academic All-Canadian Breakfast held at MacEwan Hall.
Record-Breaking Academic Achievement
This impressive total represents the second-highest number in the university's history, accounting for more than one-third of all student-athletes at the institution. The celebration recognized 204 students who earned U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian status, while an additional 10 golfers received Dinos All-Academic honours.
To qualify for these prestigious academic distinctions, student-athletes must maintain an average of 80 percent or higher while simultaneously competing at the varsity level for their institution. This year's recognition brings the cumulative total to nearly 3,600 honourees since the program's inception in 1990.
University Leaders Praise Student Dedication
Ben Matchett, Dinos director of athletics, expressed immense pride in the students' accomplishments. "To achieve academic excellence at the university level is no small feat, but to do it while also pursuing sport at a high level is even more impressive," Matchett stated. "The achievements of our 214 Academic All-Canadians and Dinos All-Academic student-athletes in 2024-25 highlight not only the growing academic stature of UCalgary, but the incredible dedication of these future leaders as well."
Top Academic Performers and Program Highlights
The university also announced the recipients of this year's Dinos Top Academic All-Canadian award, which honours one male and one female student-athlete demonstrating the best combination of academic and athletic excellence. The 2024-25 winners are Nate Beauchemin from football and Gabriela Cross from women's wrestling. Both students will now advance as UCalgary's nominees within Canada West for the U SPORTS Top 8 Academic All-Canadian awards.
Among academic programs, the Faculty of Arts led with 53 students earning Academic All-Canadian status, followed closely by kinesiology with 47 honourees. Other notable programs included:
- Haskayne School of Business: 31 recipients
- Schulich School of Engineering: 28 recipients
- Science: 23 recipients
- Graduate studies: 8 recipients
Athletically, the Dinos women's track & field/cross country program stood out with 24 student-athletes achieving the academic status, leading all sports programs in this achievement.
The celebration underscores the University of Calgary's commitment to fostering both athletic and academic excellence, demonstrating that dedication in the classroom can parallel success on the field of play.
