Jan. 16, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State Athletics Department has enjoyed four-consecutive semesters with a combined grade-point average above 2.9, so the standard was set high for the Fall 2007 semester. The Illinois State student-athletes rose to the challenge of keeping the streak alive with a school-record 3.03 cumulative GPA for the semester. The semester was also record-setting for both the men's and women's programs combined.
The department's 3.03 GPA beat the previous record of 2.99 set in the Spring 2006 semester. Along with the overall record, the men's and women's programs both achieved their best semesters ever. The seven men's programs had a combined 2.82 GPA, and 99 male student-athletes made it onto the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll. The 10 women's programs had a combined 3.25 GPA, and 144 female student-athletes achieved AFNI Athletics Honor Roll recognition. The 243 total student-athletes on the Fall 2007 AFNI Athletics Honor Roll was also a school record, breaking the mark of 215 from the Fall 2006 semester. Thirty-eight student-athletes recorded 4.0 GPA's, falling just short of the school record of 39.
"We could not have asked for a better semester academically," said Tim Schlosser, director of the Karin Bone Athletics Study Center. "At the beginning of the semester, (Illinois State Director of Athletics) Dr. Sheahon Zenger dared the student-athletes to exceed expectations, and they certainly rose to the challenge. The student-athletes, coaches and athletic administrators have made a serious commitment to achieving academic excellence. Breaking the record for overall department and men's and women's GPA's is certainly evidence of that commitment."
The women's record-setting 3.25 GPA surpassed the 3.20 GPA set in the Spring 2006 semester. The women's tennis team led the way with a 3.66 GPA, which was the highest of any women's program ever at ISU. All eight members of the team were on the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll. Every women's team had a GPA above 2.9 and eight programs were above a 3.0.
The men's programs had their best combined semester ever with a 2.82 GPA, eclipsing the previous record of 2.80 set in the Fall 2005 semester. For the second-consecutive semester, the men's golf team had the highest team GPA with a 3.20.
Even with all of the time committed to studying, practice and athletic events, the Redbird student-athletes still managed to contribute 1,240 hours of community service; which put them well on their way toward a third-consecutive year with more than 2,000 hours.
