VANCOUVER – Two UBC Thunderbirds recruits are featured as top student-athletes in their respective sports in The Province newspaper's annual Head of the Class feature, which appeared on newsstands and online today.
 
Now in its 16th year, Head of the Class showcases the top graduating high school athletes in B.C.
 
This year, women's basketball recruit Jessica Hanson of Vancouver and future Thunderbirds men's soccer player Kerman Pannu of Surrey are the latest UBC-bound athletes to earn the prestigious recognition.
 
A 5-foot-9 guard, Hanson is the reigning B.C. High School 'AA' Girls Basketball Provincial Championship Most Valuable Player after leading her Little Flower Academy Angels to a silver-medal finish in March. As well, she has represented her province in five national championship tournaments.
 
Hanson is also an accomplished track and field star, competing in jumps and hurdles. She won the 2013 high school provincial title in the women's high jump and finished tied for second in the same event this year.
 
Pannu is a 6-foot midfielder who brings a championship pedigree to UBC. He captained Surrey United to the Under-16 national title in October 2013 and led Panorama Ridge Secondary School to the B.C. High School 'AAA' banner in November 2014.
 
Pannu provided all the scoring as Panorama Ridge claimed a 3-0 victory for its first-ever provincial soccer title.
 
UBC tied for the school with the most representation in this year's Head of the Class section with two recruits.
 
Thunderbirds football recruit Isaiah Stevens of Port Coquitlam's Terry Fox Secondary was also featured in the Valedictorians section.