Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Student-Athletes Turn in Outstanding Spring Semester
6/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | General
June 21, 2010
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall University's Buck Harless Student-Athlete Program has released the Spring Semester Academic Summary for 2010 and according to the report, Marshall's student-athletes are excelling in the classroom at record levels.
"I am extremely pleased with the academic progress of our student-athletes," Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick said. "This past semester is a good indicator of the emphasis this University and Department places on academic success and I am proud of the progress our student-athletes are making in the classroom."
Eight of Marshall's 14 programs (the report combines women's track and women's cross country) posted team grade point averages of 3.0 or greater for the semester. Marshall's women's soccer team led the way with a 3.61 team GPA, followed by volleyball at 3.52, women's golf at 3.45, tennis at 3.44, men's cross country at 3.34, softball at 3.25, swimming at 3.24, and men's golf at 3.09.
Thirteen of Marshall's 14 programs have a term grade point average greater than 2.50. Men's soccer posted a 2.91 GPA last semester, while baseball (2.82), women's track and cross country (2.82), football (2.63), and women's basketball (2.55) all posted GPA's above 2.50 for the semester. In addition, the football team's 2.63 team GPA is the highest GPA that the team has posted in any single semester in the more than 20 years that the BHSAP has tracked team grade point averages.
"Our football team has improved from a team GPA of 2.1 last fall to a 2.63 GPA this past spring. That is a tremendous differential in such a short period of time and much of that credit needs to go to head coach Doc Holliday and his staff for their commitment to academics," Hamrick said.
Marshall's men's basketball squad was the only team that did not post a semester GPA above 2.50.
"Men's basketball is our only program that did not post a 2.5 or higher this last semester. With that said, I want to credit head coach Tom Herrion and his staff for making a significant impact in improving the academic culture of our basketball team in a very short period of time. The team GPA is not where we want it to be and it is not where it will be in the future, however I am encouraged by the improvements we have already seen and I am confident that GPA will be on the rise."
During the spring semester, 187 student athletes or 56% of all MU Student-Athletes posted GPA's greater than 3.0. Following the semester, 167 or 50% of enrolled Marshall student-athletes now have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
