NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State student-athletes continue to achieve high marks in the classroom, as the Redbirds compiled a new department record (not including Spring 2020 COVID semester) grade-point average (GPA) of 3.45 during the Spring 2024 semester, as announced by Associate Athletics Director for Academics and Life Skills Joe Klausner on Thursday.
"Winning championships is the goal every season, but at the end of the day education is our primary mission at Illinois State," ISU Interim Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs said. "Our student-athletes dedicate themselves to performing well both in and out of the classroom, and this new record GPA is a testament to their hard work. I am incredibly impressed with their achievements and want to congratulate our student-athletes and all the people who support them in their efforts."
A total of 344 Redbird student-athletes were named to the Honor Roll and a record total of 133 student-athletes posted perfect 4.0 GPAs during the spring semester.
"Our Redbird student-athletes had a great spring semester in the classroom and continue to show their tremendous commitments towards academics and future endeavors. I'm extremely proud of the way our student-athletes complete in the classroom and are great ambassadors for our department and institution," Klausner said. "Their determination and effort towards their academics resulted in over 80 percent of our Redbirds making the ISU Athletics Honor Roll. Observing this ongoing degree of achievement demonstrates a culture of competition that is deeply embedded in our identity as a department and school. I congratulate our Redbirds on another record-breaking semester."
ISU's men's programs combined for a record 3.31 cumulative GPA (new record), and the Illinois State women's teams combined to tie the record 3.64 semester GPA from last spring. The Redbird swimming & diving team recorded the top GPA mark of the spring leading all programs with a program record 3.81 and the men's tennis team led the men's programs with a 3.65.
More highlights include:
• Gymnastics set a new team GPA record after earning a 3.72 this semester.
• Men's Track and Field broke their team GPA record by earning a 3.23 this spring.
• Men's Basketball recorded a team GPA record with a 3.43 in the classroom this semester.
• Football earned a new team GPA record with a 3.21 semester in the classroom.
• Men's Golf earned a 3.51 semester GPA, which is a new program.
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