Carolina Athletics Department Continues Trend of Excelling in the Classroom

June 4, 2003

Columbia, SC –
A record-tying 11 University of South Carolina athletic teams recorded a grade point average which exceeded the general student body’s for the recently completed 2003 spring semester. Ten of those same teams achieved a GPA of 3.0 or greater, which also equals an all-time best for one semester by the athletics department. The overall GPA of 2.872 continues the trend of the past six semesters of consistently improving averages. The GPA for all full-time USC students was 2.960. Four of the past six semesters, the differential between the student-athlete and non-student-athlete GPA has been among the closest in the department’s history.

The football team graduation rate, as calculated by the American Football Coaches Association, is 76 percent, which is an all-time best and ranks as one of the top 16 graduation rates in Division 1-A for 2002.

Three of USC’s teams, including softball, men’s golf, and women’s soccer, recorded their highest semester grade point averages on record this past spring.

The academic performance of the athletics department has been steadily improving over the past two years. Among the highlights include:

* Ten of the 17 sports teams have achieved their highest semester grade point average ever during that time frame, including football, which posted a 2.561 in the spring of 2002

* The highest departmental semester GPA on record is a 2.894, achieved in the spring of 2002

* The current football graduation rate, as tabulated by the American Football Coaches Association, is 76 percent – the best in the program’s history

“The Athletics Department would like to commend our student-athletes, coaches, and academic support staff for continuing this upward trend of excelling in the classroom,” said USC Athletics Director, Mike McGee. “To have a record-tying number of our teams exceed the regular student body GPA and to have the highest AFCA football graduation rate in the program’s history, are achievements that are indicative of the hard work, commitment and focus of all those involved.”

Twenty-four student-athletes were named to the President’s List last semester for recording a perfect 4.0 GPA. An additional 96 student-athletes earned Dean’s List honors.

Here are the individual team GPA’s for the 2003 spring semester:

Baseball 2.893

Men’s Basketball 2.609

Women’s Basketball 2.489

Equestrian 3.193

Football 2.433

Men’s Golf 3.333

Women’s Golf 3.535

Men’s Soccer 3.067

Women’s Soccer 3.553

Softball 3.191

Men’s Swimming 2.969