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University of Alberta

University Of Alberta Golden Bears & Pandas

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Golden Bears & Pandas

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AAC STORY

General Connor Hood

209 Golden Bears & Pandas honoured as Academic All-Canadians

4,411 student-athletes have earned AAC honours since 1990

Over a third of all Golden Bears & Pandas were honoured on Tuesday morning, as Athletics held their annual Academic All-Canadian breakfast. 

209 UofA student-athletes earned AAC status in 2024/25, which sets a new record for Academic All-Canadians during a competitive season. 

199 Golden Bears & Pandas were named U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians, with another 10 golf student-athletes, which is not a U SPORTS-sanctioned sport, named to the All-Academic Team.

Highlights

  • The 199 U SPORTS AAC’s sets a new University of Alberta record, besting the mark of 184 in 2023/24. 
  • 39% of eligible student-athletes were named an Academic All-Canadian in 2023/24 (209/536).
  • Pandas Basketball (12), Pandas Golf (7), Pandas Hockey (18), Pandas Soccer (17), Pandas Tennis (7), and Pandas Wrestling (7) set new program records in 2024/25.
  • 13 Facilities were represented among the 2024/25 Academic All-Canadian total, led by 41 from Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation and 37 from Science. 
  • The University of Alberta’s All-Time U SPORTS AAC total now stands at 4,155. This is the most in Canadian University Sport history.
  • Additionally, 256 athletes from Golf, Rugby 7s and Tennis have earned All-Academic Team honours since 1990, bringing the U of A’s total to 4,411 student-athletes. 
  • Isaac Heslinga (Golden Bears Volleyball) and Vianne Rouleau (Pandas Wrestling) were named the Male and Female UAlberta Academic All-Canadian student-athletes of the year. 


The criteria to be honoured as an AAC is maintaining an average of 80% or better over the academic year, while competing full-time for one of the university’s varsity teams.

Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics also handed out the Kathlene Yetman Trophy and the Mark Goodkey Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the Female and Male Academic All-Canadian student-athletes of the year.

Heslinga ended his varsity career as one of the greatest student-athletes in Bears Volleyball history, both on the court and in the classroom. Heslinga was twice named both the Canada West and U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year (2024, 2025), and became just the fourth Golden Bear to be named UofA Male Athlete of the Year twice.

The Orangeville, Ontario product led Canada West and U SPORTS in kills (340), kills per set (4.60), points (385.5), and points per set (5.2) last season. 

His 4.60 kills per set are the fifth most by any Bear in a single season, and the most by any player since 1999. Arguably his most impressive stat is a stunning .373 attack percentage, as he committed just 78 errors on 703 attempts in 2024/25.

A two-time Academic All-Canadian from the Faculty of Engineering, Heslinga finished his career second in Bears VB history with 1,172 kills, third with 1,369.5 points, and third with 3.7 kills per set.

Rouleau put forth arguably the best season by a Pandas Wrestler in program history in 2024/25. 

She was an individual champion at both the Canada West and U SPORTS Championships, dominating the women's 72kg weight class. It marked her third-straight year earning a medal at nationals, which includes a silver in 2023, and gold in 2024.

A five-time Academic All-Canadian from the Faculty of Science, she was awarded the Canada West Wrestler of the Year in Saskatoon, leading the Pandas to a team silver medal.

Before the varsity season started, she won silver at the U23 World Championship in Albania. 

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