Micheal Rouault has capped his college basketball career with a major kudo.
The former Fulton Maroons standout is a fifth-year member of the Kamloops-based Thompson Rivers University WolfPack, and Rouault has been chosen as the Canada West representative for the prestigious Ken Shields Award. The honour is given by U SPORTS for the men’s basketball player who excels on the court, in the classroom and the community.
“When you mention the words student-athlete, he is exactly the type of person you hope for in terms of a fifth-year player who has grown physically, academically and citizenship,” WolfPack head coach Scott Clark said. “That is what you hope for. Mike is well-deserving of this distinction. I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Rouault was one of the WolfPack team captains the past two seasons.
On the court this season, Rouault was sixth in Canada West in total rebounds (177) and defensive rebounds (6.4), seventh in rebounds per game (8.8), 10th in offensive rebounds (2.5), 13th in both steals (1.6 per game) and blocks (0.7) per game, 19th in Canada West in field goal per cent (49.5), 25th in assists (2.9 per game) and 27th in points per game (13.7).
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In the classroom, he is on his way to being a five-time U SPORTS Academic All Canadian as he is poised to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree this spring, then plans to enter law school. He is also one of the leaders of the WolfPack’s PACE program which is designed to help student-athletes with their studies.
Rouault is a two-time winner of the Cliff Neufeld student/athlete leadership award and captured the Doctor Roger H. Barnsley Scholar/Athlete award last year.
Rouault’s community work also includes coaching basketball with the Special Olympics, coordinating the team’s community events which include Terry Fox Runs in the community and in elementary schools, the Raise A Reader fundraiser for literacy programs in Kamloops and being a part of the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation Radiothon.
“I am so pleased to see Micheal selected as the Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service award winner and move forward as the conference’s nominee for the national Ken Shields Award,” TRU athletics and recreation director Curtis Atkinson said. “Micheal’s dedication in the classroom, on the court and in the community set the standard at our institution. Micheal has worked for everything he has earned and he is everything you want a student-athlete to be. He is an exceptional leader and is committed to making those around him better.”
Rouault leaves the Thompson Rivers basketball program as the all-time leader in minutes played (2,560), second in games started (63), rebounds (698), free throws (201) and steals (109), third in most assists (183) , field goals (361 in 97 games)and blocks (44), fourth in points (951) and fifth in rebounds per game (698-7.2 per game).
Rouault will now vie for the Shields Award against reps from the OUA, RESQ and AUS. The winner will be announced next month at the U SPORTS men’s basketball nationals.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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