(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS are proud to announce that a record 148 REDS student-athletes achieved U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian status during the 2020-21 school year.
“This is a tremendous accomplishment, both as a group and for the individuals in this group,” said John Richard, UNB’s Director of Athletics. “The 2020-21 academic year was one like no other. UNB’s programming was delivered online, yet almost all of our student-athletes stayed in Fredericton or returned here so they could train with their teams, even in the absence of competition. For so many to have excelled in their studies is truly inspiring.”
Academic All-Canadian status is awarded to any student-athlete who, while competing in a varsity level sport, maintains an 80% average or better.
The 2020-21 class of 148 Academic All-Canadians follows the 2019-20 class that boasted 129 student-athletes.
The 148 Academic All-Canadians come from a field of 225 student-athletes that consumed U SPORTS eligibility, or 65.8%, another REDS record.
“Even without competition, this is not an easy accomplishment,” said Richard. “Our student-athletes maintained rigorous training schedules and some teams did see exhibition game and scrimmage action near the end of their seasons. They still had to balance athletics and academics, maybe more so as a lot of their learning was online.”
In such a distinguished class it can be difficult to identify individuals, but two student-athletes have been named the REDS’ Top Female and Male Academic-All Canadians for 2020-21.
Natasha Vatcher, from Oromocto, is UNB’s Top Female Academic All-Canadian.
A member of the women’s cross country and track and field teams, Vatcher earned a 4.3 GPA in Medical Chemistry and was named a Sir Howard Douglas Scholar.
Joe Gatenby, of Kelowna, BC, is the REDS’ Top Male Academic All-Canadian.
A veteran member of the men’s hockey team, Gatenby earned a 4.3 GPA in Business Administration.
“Natasha and Joe have proven themselves as dedicated students and talented athletes,” said Richard. “They’re just two examples of what we want all of our student-athletes to achieve during their time as REDS.”
UNB’s men’s hockey and women’s soccer teams featured the most Academic All-Canadians, with 22 each. For men’s hockey, that represents 91.6%. For women’s soccer, that’s 84.6% of their roster.
“I want to congratulate our 148 Academic All-Canadians and commend our coaches, team staff, UNB faculty and our REDS administration staff,” said Richard. “They all play essential roles in this number, 148, being as big as it is.”
Traditionally, the REDS celebrate these accomplishments with a special ceremony, but for the second year in a row that won’t be possible due to the pandemic.
2020-2021 UNB REDS U SPORTS ACADEMIC ALL-CANADIANS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (10)
McKinley Bezanson
Bailey Black
Marley Curwin
Erin Ingalls
Alexandra Mann
Katie McAffee
Jennifer Nkuah
Madeline Orlando
Krystal Osburn
Kylee Speedy
MEN’S BASKETBALL (4)
Norman Burry
Benjamin Gilbert
Rees Hasson
Sterling Simpson
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY (4)
Emily Haynes-MacDonald
Hannah Haynes-MacDonald
Magkda Mekonnen
Natasha Vatcher
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY (12)
Chance Blackstone
Samuel Cadrian
Isaac Cull
Timothy Green
Ryan Larter
Vardaan Malhotra
Bradley McMullin
Dawson Nancekievill
Ben Perrett
Mitchell Spragg
William Watts
Ethan Wilkie
WOMEN’S HOCKEY (20)
Ava Benedict
Myah Bowal
Katherine Chadwick
Frederike Cyr
Amanda Desrochers
Melanie Drost
Lillian George
Emma Giordano
Hannah Green
Paige Grenier
Payton Hargreaves
Jana Headrick
Tamina Kehler
Jenna MacLean
Sage McElroy-Scott
Sydney Oitomen
Ashley Stratton
Madison Tucker
Alayna Wagstaff
Kendra Woodland
MEN’S HOCKEY (22)
Kris Bennett
Tyler Boland
Oliver Cooper
Samuel Dove-McFalls
Benjamin Gagne
Joe Gatenby
Brady Gilmour
Alexandre Goulet
Nicolas Guay
Connor Hall
Samuel Harvey
Austen Keating
Kade Landry
Olivier LeBlanc
James McEwan
Isaac Nurse
Griffen Outhouse
Rylan Parenteau
James Phelan
Tristan Pomerleau
Mark Rassell
Jason Willms
WOMEN’S SOCCER (22)
Jesse Bellamy
Madolyn Bush
Olivia Crowe
Julia Currie
Julia Dalley
Danika Diehl
Sylvie Fecteau
Madison Goertz
Victoria Hatheway
Kristin Hayward
Alexandra Hughes-Goyette
Aurora Hughes-Goyette
Melina Johnstone-Cantin
Lauren Kelly
Emma King-Jesso
Heidi Lauwerijssen
Natasha Luedtke
Eve MacDonald
Sophia Maillet
Brynn Nash
Clarisse Ramirez
Paige Wilson
MEN’S SOCCER (12)
Evan Barker
Nicolas Bisallon
Lars Gierull
Joe Hamilton
Cole Healey
Ethan Irrinki
Olivier Menard
Tristan Nkoghe
Tom Pheulpin
Mathew Quigley
Grant Takacs
Louis-Charles Vaillancourt
WOMEN’S SWIMMING (11)
Julia Campbell
Hannah Casey
Sophie Casey
Nikole Connors
Lauren Goodine
Maggie Gray
Sarah Kelly
Alexie Lebouthillier-Sanford
Jennifer Moore
Grace Smith
Susana Somerton
MEN’S SWIMMING (2)
Matthew Croft
Erik Staeben
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD (7)
Hailey Gibbons
Peighton Johnson
Fionnuala Maguire
Erin McCavour
Alicia Simmie
Sierra Sweeney
Anna Varty
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD (4)
Tyler Adams
Promise Adegbite
Jarod Manuel
Robert Williamson
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL (7)
Emma Burns
Kristen Burns
Katelyn Chapman
Julia Diemert
Kelsie Dukart
Olivia Elgersma
Cameron Rogers
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL (11)
Calum Doherty
Joshua Dorey
Carson Harrison
Connor Herget
Erik Kodric
Andrew Luiker
Scott Mann
Connor McConnell
Owen Mills
Austin Ross
Thomas Vickers