June 14, 2012

Gamecock student-athletes concluded the 2011-12 academic year posting their highest departmental grade point average to date. The GPA for the fall semester (3.202) was the highest ever and the GPA for the spring semester (3.196) was the second highest. During the spring semester, 14 out of 17 teams achieved a 3.0 GPA or better and 81 student-athletes earned their degrees from the University of South Carolina. Gamecock student-athletes have posted a combined GPA of 3.0 or better for 11 consecutive semesters.

Two teams, football (2.781) and men’s track and field (3.269), achieved their highest mark on record this spring. Volleyball (3.493) earned its second-highest GPA. Also, nine teams improved its GPA from the fall of 2011.

Men’s golf (3.526) earned the title as the departmental GPA leader for Spring 2012, while men’s tennis (3.501) ranked a close second. The Gamecock football team continued their upward trend and enjoyed a fourth consecutive semester above a 2.7 GPA.

Sixty-seven student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA and, with that, a spot on the President’s List, while 159 were named to the Dean’s List. 326 student-athletes, more than half of the student-athlete population, were named to the Athletics Director’s Honor Roll (3.0 GPA).

“Our academic performance continues to impress,” said Athletics Director Eric Hyman. “We are very proud of the progress we’ve made in the classroom. Credit not only goes to the student-athletes for a job well done, but to Raymond Harrison, to our academic support staff, and to the coaches for motivating and holding the student-athletes accountable. The most impressive thing I hear is that teams are not satisfied with what has been accomplished. They want to reach even higher.”