Ottawa, ON - The top university student athletes, the best of the best, were recognized today as the U SPORTS Top 8 Academic All-Canadians were announced today. Jackson Findlay of the Mustangs Football team received the nod for OUA male honouree for the 2023-24 season. 

"Receiving this award is a great honour as it is a true representation of a student-athlete. Student-athletes have some of the busiest schedules, and I really respect student-athletes across the entire student body," said Findlay "Receiving this award, being that representative for Ontario as well as Western, it's really prestigious, and I am very grateful to have been recognized for the things I've done athletically, academically as well as in my community."



Findlay has been an integral part of the Western Mustangs football team during his time at Western, and as a defensive back, he helped to lead the team to an OUA championship Yates Cup silver medal, three consecutive OUA championship Yates Cup victories, and three U SPORTS finals including one gold medal championship Vanier Cup, over the past four years. He has won numerous awards for his academic excellence and excellence on the field of play including a Bronze W, Football team MVP and Most Outstanding Defensive Player from Western in 2023-24, 1st Team OUA in 2023-24, U SPORTS 1st Team All-Canadian in 2023-24, and most recently 1st Team OUA and 2024 OUA Outstanding Stand-Up Defensive Player of the Year, winning the President's Trophy.

"Being only the second Mustang football player to win the award, 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," said Findlay "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,"

Academically, Findlay has been on the Dean's List at Western for the past three years (2021-2023), and has also been recognized as an Academic All-Canadian for the past three years (2021-2023). He is in the fourth year of his Medical Sciences program and aspires to eventually study to be a paediatric oncologist – working with children with cancer.

Findlay becomes the ninth Mustang to receive this honour. (Kate Current – Track & Field/Cross Country (2021-22), Nick Vanin – Football (2017-18), Caroline Ehrhardt - Track & Field (2013-14), Steven Takahashi – Wrestling (2012-13), Allison Oosterhuis – Soccer (2004-05), Sagar Desai – Basketball (2003-04), Andrew Kwiatkowski – Basketball (2000-01), Craig Donaldson – Hockey (1993-94). 

"Jackson is inarguably an exceptional football player; but what really makes him exceptional and what makes us most proud as Mustangs, is how much he cares about his teammates and about making the world a better place," said Christine Stapleton, Director, Sports & Recreation, Western University. "In addition to his many athletic and academic commitments, Jackson volunteers his time to coach women's football, he has also volunteered his time to work with Western Alumni to advocate for the importance of donor funded awards to support student athletes, and as the current President of the Mustangs Athlete Student Council he makes time to volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club of London each week."

Findlay is a strong believer in community involvement. In addition to volunteering with MASC, Western Alumni and with women's flag football, for the past nine years he has worked with Challenger Baseball during his summers, supporting mentally and physically challenged kids to help them play baseball and build relationships. And he is also very involved in youth coaching, helping to coach local flag and tackle football teams and players.

Findlay is also one of two Western Mustangs who were on the recent 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.

Among the 4900+ student-athletes who achieved U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian status in 2024-25, Findlay is notably one of the eight student-athletes - one female and one male student-athlete from each of the four U SPORTS conferences – who were selected to make up the U SPORTS Top 8.

"Jackson is an outstanding individual and a high-achieving student. He's a quiet leader and treats everyone with respect. He models everything that makes our team strong and passes that on to younger players." Greg Marshall, Western Mustangs Football Head Coach.

U SPORTS student-athletes achieve Academic All-Canadian status for having maintained an average of 80 per cent or better over the academic year while competing for one – or more – of their university's varsity teams.
 
The Governor General's Academic All-Canadian Commendation was founded in 2013 by the Right Honourable David Johnston, former Governor General of Canada, who first honoured Canada's Top 8 student-athletes.

This year's recipients are:

ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SPORT (AUS)

Jayda Veinot – Basketball - University of New Brunswick (UNB) 
Samuel Bourque – Track & Field - Université de Moncton

RÉSEAU DU SPORT ÉTUDIANT DU QUÉBEC (RSEQ)

Gabrielle Santerre – Hockey - Bishop's University 
Philippe Morneau-Cartier – Cross-Country / Track & Field - Université Laval 

ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS (OUA)

Ainsley McMurray – Swimming - University of Toronto 
Jackson Findlay – Football - Western University 

CANADA WEST (CW)

Jade Belmore – Basketball - University of Regina 
Nathan Versluys – Swimming - University of Calgary 
 

For full details on all recipients go to: https://en.usports.ca/awards/2024-25/2025-01-28_Top8-2023-24