Christopher Morrison demolished the jock versus brainiac distinction last week, as Canadian Interuniversity Sport named him one of the top eight Academic All-Canadians.

Morrison is an assistant captain for the Saint Mary’s Huskies hockey team, who has won 40 of 56 games in his time and reached the AUS final twice, making the CIS University Cup tournament in 2008-09. The defenceman has also logged more ice time than anyone else on the team. In the classroom, the criminology student has posted a 4.05 cumulative GPA and won numerous scholarships.

When he needs a break from winning hockey games and acing exams, Morrison helps underprivileged kids play hockey with SMU Pals, promotes literacy at the library and spends his summers helping Meals on Wheels. 

A humble Morrison said he was “surprised” by the award.

“It’s a pretty big honour,” he added. The Cambridge, Ont., native picked SMU because a friend highly recommended Halifax as a place to study.

He admits his busy schedule has come at a price: “The social aspect some times gets pushed to the back burner.”

And bad news for bad guys in Ontario: Morrison is planning on moving home to become a cop when he graduates next spring. Cambridge crooks had better hit the gym and the library to avoid being out-run and out-thought by Morrison. 

Trevor Steinburg is Morrison’s coach. He said the star player wasn’t a highly sought recruit, but he earned his place on the ice.

“He’s probably our most reliable defenceman,” Steinburg said. “His work ethic is at its own level — pure strength, pure endurance.”

He’s in the gym daily and it’s not unusual for Steinburg to find Morrison lifting weights at 8 a.m. on a Saturday.

“When you think of some of your biggest hits, he’s got them. You think of some of your best defensive plays, he’s got them,” Steinburg says of Morrison’s on-ice contribution. Off-ice, when the coach sends out an email looking for community volunteers, Morrison is the first to say yes.