University Park, Pa. -- Nearly 450 Penn State student-athletes posted a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher, for a record-setting academic performance during the 2003 Fall semester, Director of Athletics Tim Curley reported yesterday (March 16).
For the most recent semester, a record total of 442 student-athletes had a GPA of 3.0 or above, resulting in a record 60 percent of the 732 young men and women who were members of Penn State's 29 varsity sports, according to Russ Mushinsky, director of the Morgan Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes. There are approximately 800 Penn State student-athletes, including those who are medically unable to participate or whose competitive eligibility has been exhausted but are working toward their degree.
Among the 442 student-athletes with a 3.0, a record 182 earned a 3.5 GPA or better to gain Dean's List recognition. The 182 high achievers represent 24.8 percent of Penn State's active student-athletes, also a record.
Twenty-two of Penn State's 29 varsity programs earned a team GPA of 3.0 or higher last semester. The cheerleaders and dance team also posted team GPAs of 3.0 or better.
"We are very pleased that our student-athletes continue to perform at record setting levels and maintain consistently outstanding academic performance every semester," said Curley. "It is a credit to their work-ethic and to the encouragement they receive from our faculty, academic support personnel and coaches."
The efforts of Penn State's Morgan Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes again was reflected in the 2003 NCAA Graduation Rates Report, which showed that 80 percent of Nittany and Lady Lion student-athletes who began their careers in 1996-97 graduated within six years, well above the 62 percent national average. The 80 percent rate was among Penn State's best performances in the 13-year history of the report.
Penn State's four-year graduation rate average for student-athletes was 79 percent, also considerably higher than the 60 percent national average. Northwestern was the only Big Ten institution with a higher four-year student-athlete graduation rate than Penn State according to the 2003 report.
During the 2003 Fall semester, 70 Penn State student-athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades, highest among all conference institutions. A school record 231 Penn State student-athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades during 2002-03. Penn State has led all Big Ten institutions in academic all-conference honorees six of the past seven years.
Three Nittany and Lady Lion student-athletes have been selected an Academic All-American thus far in 2003-04, including senior standout Kelly Mazzante, who was named the Academic All-American of the Year for Women's Basketball.
In addition, women's soccer All-American Joanna Lohman won a prestigious NCAA Postrgraduate Scholarship, as well as first team Academic All-America honors for the third consecutive year.