QUEBEC CITY – Acadia’s Sara Grant and Amanda Jardine were named U SPORTS women’s rugby All-Canadians on Thursday night at the U SPORTS championship gala in Quebec City.

This is the first time both players were recognized nationally, with Grant being named to the first team and Jardine named to the second team. Last season Chloe Buckingham and Grace Pinch were the two Axewomen recipients.

Prior to the U SPORTS award, Grant was named AUS MVP and a first team all-star. It was her second all-star nod, while she was also named the AUS rookie of the year in 2021-22. For Jardine, she was named an AUS all-star for the first time this season.

In other awards announced on Thursday, Savannah Bauder of the UBC Thunderbirds was named the 2023 U SPORTS women’s rugby player of the year. Grant was the AUS nominee for the award.

Other major award winners include Akwaima Akpan of StFX, who was named rookie of the year; Soleil Brooks of Victoria, who won the student-athlete community service award; and François Vachon-Marceau of Laval, who was named the Fox40 Coach of the Year.