The elite group includes footballers Edward Ilnicki and Nick Vanin, from the University of Alberta and Western University respectively, and volleyball players Kate Pexman and Alina Dormann, from the University of Calgary and University of Toronto respectively.

It also features wrestler Francis Carter of Concordia University, track and field athlete Amélie Augé of the Université de Sherbrooke, basketball player Sven Stammberger of Dalhousie University and soccer player Ciera Disipio of Cape Breton University.

All of them will be honoured by Canada's Governor General Julie Payette during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on January 29.

The Governor General's Academic All-Canadian Commendation was founded by the former Governor General of Canada, David Johnston, who first honoured Canada's top-eight student-athletes in 2013.

U SPORTS student-athletes achieve Academic All-Canadian status 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.

Among these individuals, one female and one male student-athlete from each of the four U SPORTS conferences are selected annually to make up the top-eight.  

"The list of Academic All-Canadians continues to grow each year," Graham Brown, President and chief executive of U SPORTS, said.

"The success of the top-eight is a testament to the dedication of our student-athletes on the field of play, in the classroom and as leaders in their communities across the country."

Last month, U SPORTS announced hosts of 10 National Championships over the next two seasons in the sports of football, rugby and volleyball.