Led by the women's cross country team's stellar performance in the classroom with a 3.784 GPA, AU student-athletes surpassed the Athletic Department's previous record-setting performance in the classroom and have soared to the department's highest GPA in school history for the second time in three semesters.
At the conclusion of the spring, 2016 semester, Black and Gold clad student-athletes achieved a then-departmental record 3.24 GPA, which at the time eclipsed the previous 3.16 departmental record, which was set just 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 week that the women's cross country team posted the highest mark 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.
"We are so proud of our student-athletes and excited to see them excel both in the classroom and in competition," said Vice President for Athletics Bert Epting. "The AU experience starts in the classroom and knowing that our coaches and student-athletes have made academics a priority should bring great pride for all those involved in AU Athletics."
Nearly every team achieved at least a 3.0 GPA for the semester, with the overall 3.264 GPA for the athletic department coming in just shy of the 3.43 mark achieved by AU's traditional full-time undergraduate students.
