General | 5/23/2016 9:56:00 AM

STATESBORO, Ga. –  Georgia Southern's Office of Student-Athlete Services began "The Road to a 3.0" campaign in the summer of 2015 in an effort to boost the department-wide GPA higher than a 3.0. The student-athletes responded quickly to the challenge and reached unprecedented heights this academic year, as announced Monday by the department. 

The Eagles as a group earned a 3.01 GPA for the 2015-2016 academic year, marking the first time in Georgia Southern athletic history that the student-athletes have reached this achievement. This spring, the athletic GPA was 3.04, the second-highest spring GPA in the history of athletics only to follow spring 2015 when a 3.05 GPA was earned.

Two hundred and twenty-seven student-athletes made the Honor Roll this spring, which accounts for 64 percent of the department. Thirty-eight of those student-athletes posted a 4.0 GPA to earn a spot on the President's List, while 82 students made the Dean's List with a GPA of 3.5-3.99.

Listed below are the programs accomplishing this goal:

Below are all of the teams that posted a 3.0 or higher for Spring 2016, which includes every female sport:
• Men's Golf: 3.35
• Men's Soccer: 3.07
• Men's Tennis: 3.37 (Highest Spring GPA for Male Sports)
• Softball: 3.22
• Volleyball: 3.38
• Women's Basketball: 3.10
• Women's Soccer: 3.51
• Women's Track & Field: 3.23
• Women's Tennis: 3.76 (Highest Spring GPA for Female Sports)
• Women's Swimming & Diving: 3.37
• Women's Golf: 3.26
• Rifle: 3.13

Twelve of the GS teams posted a 3.00 GPA or higher for the academic year: baseball (3.10), men's golf (3.34 - Highest Male Team GPA for 2015-2016), men's soccer (3.08), men's tennis (3.33), softball (3.16), volleyball (3.40), women's basketball (3.23), women's soccer (3.48), women's track & field (3.11), women's tennis (3.78 - Highest Female Team GPA for 2015-2016), women's swimming (3.37), and women's golf (3.17).

With the success of the spring, many of the athletic teams have a streak of consecutive semesters higher than a 3.0 GPA. Women's tennis (22), swimming & diving (18), volleyball (14), women's soccer (9) and men's tennis (6) add this semester to their consistent model of academic success. Spring 2016 also experienced two teams earning their highest semester GPA in program history. The women's soccer team produced a 3.51 GPA and men's basketball had a 2.86 GPA, each setting program records. 

"I want to thank everyone for their support and hard work this entire year," said Reggie Simpkins, Director of Student-Athlete Services. "Our student-athletes worked extremely hard this semester to reach our goal of a 3.0 GPA and they were able to perform at a high level in the classroom. It's just another positive step for our department and I'm very proud of all those who took it to the next level academically."

The 2016-17 academic year begins on Monday, Aug. 15.