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Western football safety Jackson Findlay was recognized Tuesday in Ottawa as one of eight U Sports academic all-Canadians for the 2023-24 school season.
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The North Vancouver native is a fourth-year medical sciences student with an 87 per cent average who aspires to become a pediatric oncologist.
The Mustangs captain was also the 2024 outstanding stand-up defensive player of the year, served as president of the athlete student council, volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club and coached women’s football.
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The eight honourees were selected from the 4,900 university student athletes who achieved academic all-Canadian status by maintaining an average of 80 per cent or better during the year.
“Being only the second Mustang football player to win the award (after Nick Vanin in 2017-18), I think that this is important because there is a stereotype that football players specifically do not excel in academics and are only focused on doing well in football,” Findlay said. “To be a great football player, you need to be able to be a smart football player as well. I think the game teaches you so many things which carry over to the classroom and life in general.”
Findlay was one of two Mustangs who cracked the CFL’s list of the top 20 prospects eligible for the 2025 draft. Findlay was ranked eighth in the league’s scouting bureau’s winter edition while offensive lineman Erik Anderson slotted in at 10th.
Findlay is the ninth Western student to receive the honour after Vanin, Kate Current (track/cross country), Caroline Ehrhardt (track and field), Steven Takahashi (wrestling), Allison Oosterhuis (soccer), Sagar Desai (basketball), Andy Kwiatkowski (basketball) and Craig Donaldson (hockey).
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