With seven players earning a 3.00 or better, the Illinois State women's basketball team posted its highest team grade point average (2.93) in more than four years during Fall, 2002.
Senior Steph Reichle and sophomore Chris Kutschinski both registered straight A's--4.00 on a 4.00 scale. Others above 3.00 were juniors Beth Huston and Zora Skrabalova, sophomore Michelle Harakas and freshmen Sophie Tirtiaux and Sara Stevenson.
Redbird coach Jenny Yopp believes reaching goals in the classroom is directly linked to the attitude which achieves goals on the court. She also saluted the staff of assistant athletics director Jane Fulton, who coordinates academic support services.
"This fantastic academic performance represents a commitment to improvement and excellence on the part of our student-athletes," said Yopp. "Certainly, Jane Fulton and her superb staff give them the support and guidance they need and they (the players) couldn't do it without them. But this also shows what these young women (Redbird players) were committed to accomplish and went out and did it."
Yopp believes classroom success has a lot to do with how student-athletes feel about themselves and has a positive impact on their efforts on the court. She was particularly impressed by four upperclass basketball team members whose grades were the best they've had in college.
"Certainly, the confidence that develops from classroom success spills over into their athletic efforts as well as their work in the community," said Yopp. "It is heartwarming to see the kind of effort our players made this semester result in so much success."
