News

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Athletics student-athletes have now completed 27 consecutive semesters with a combined grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher. That equates to 13.5 years of excellence.

Following the fall 2019 semester, SIUE student-athletes earned a collective 3.325 GPA, which is the second-highest departmental GPA since transitioning to NCAA Division I.

“Student-athlete success remains at the forefront of our institutional goals,” said SIUE Director of Athletics Tim Hall. “Creating a regionally-prominent and nationally-respected athletics program begins with a strong academic reputation.”

An impressive 70 percent of SIUE student-athletes earned term GPAs above a 3.0. A record-high 47 percent (112) student-athletes were on the Dean’s List. A total of 44 student-athletes (18 percent) earned a perfect 4.0, the second highest in department history since transitioning to D-I.

A total of 13 teams earned a GPA above 3.0, while eight programs were better than 3.3, and three teams posted GPAs of more than 3.5.

“This is a credit to our student-athletes and to the support they receive within the institution and the department,” Hall said. “We are fortunate to have great academic mentors, faculty and University staff, and we have one of the most dedicated Academic Services staff in the entire country.”

Softball led the charge with a combined 3.578, narrowly edging women’s soccer (3.572) for the top spot. Men’s soccer posted the third-best GPA, and the highest among men’s teams, at 3.55. Men’s cross country finished at 3.36, and men’s golf came in at 3.295.

Fourteen freshmen earned a perfect 4.0, while five first-year transfer students and eight returners also checked in at 4.0.