ANDERSON, S.C. – For the second consecutive semester and fifth time in eight semesters, Anderson University's student-athletes' academic performance continued to soar to record heights, as they achieved an overall 3.285 grade point average for the spring semester.
Led by the women's cross country team's stellar performance in the classroom with a 3.698 GPA, AU student-athletes surpassed the Athletic Department's previous record-setting performances in the classroom and have risen to the department's highest GPA in school history for the third time in four semesters.
At the conclusion of the spring, 2016 semester, Trojan student-athletes achieved a then-departmental record 3.24 GPA, which at the time surpassed the previous record of 3.16, which was set five months earlier. The 2017 fall semester saw the men's tennis squad lead the department to a 3.26 GPA and it was announced last January that the cross country team posted the highest mark (3.784 GPA) in the history of the Dr. Shirley Jacks Award, which is awarded to the team that possesses the highest grade point average at the end of each semester, and paced the department to a 3.264 GPA.
With the women's cross country team leading the way for a departmental-record 10th time, the Black and Gold reached the all-time best 3.285 last semester.
"We are so proud of our student-athletes and excited to again see them excel both in the classroom and in competition," said Vice President for Athletics Bert Epting, Jr. "The AU experience is second to none and knowing that our student-athletes work as hard in the classroom as in competition should bring great pride for all those involved in AU Athletics – Go Trojans."
Nearly every team achieved at least a 3.0 GPA for the semester, with the overall 3.285 GPA for the athletic department coming in just shy of the 3.39 mark achieved by AU's traditional full-time undergraduate students.