Feb. 13, 2013
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The Fall 2012 semester was an academic success for UNLV student-athletes according to recent grade point average data that was collected, the athletics department announced Wednesday.
Team and individual GPAs flourished last semester and the school had a large number of student-athletes honored by the Mountain West for their academic achievements when the academic all-conference team was announced by the league on Jan. 31.
"Our Rebel student-athletes delivered in the classroom this past fall," said Director of Athletics Jim Livengood. "It is absolutely a priority to win games, matches and titles, but we are also in the business of higher education and we must never forget that. Fortunately, our young men and women gave us reason to celebrate this past semester in that crucial area."
Livengood also applauded the work of David Jackson and his team with Student-Athlete Academic Services as well as the work of the coaching staffs to help the student-athletes achieve in the classroom.
"Just like in athletic competition, we can't let down as we move forward with the spring semester in the classroom," Livengood said. "But we are continuing to create an environment that allows our students to grow academically, athletically and socially and that is only possible because we are surrounding our student-athletes with people who genuinely care about their well-being."
Some of the highlights from the recently concluded semester include:
• 12 of the 17 (71 percent) UNLV sports programs have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater after the term. Women's soccer has the highest cumulative average of all the teams with a 3.52. The other teams are, in no particular order, baseball, men's golf, men's tennis, women's golf, softball, women's tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor), cross country and women's swimming & diving. 14 of the 17 programs have a cumulative average higher than 2.8.
• Individually, 53 percent of UNLV student-athletes have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and 54 percent had a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• 91 student-athletes were named to the Dean's List, which requires a semester GPA greater than 3.5.
• After the Fall semester in 2011, no Runnin' Rebel student-athlete had a cumulative GPA above 3.0, but after the Fall 2012 semester, 53 percent of the team carried a 3.0 or greater cumulative GPA. Barry Cheaney, Savon Goodman and Katin Reinhardt led the way making the Dean's Honor List.
• Freshman redshirt Tyler Bergsten from football, sophomore Matt Roe from men's swimming, senior Caitlin Allen, junior Courtney Botelho, freshman Addy Guida and junior Kylie Wassell, all from women's soccer, senior Lauren Petersen from track & field, freshman Bree Hammel from volleyball and freshman Lauren Erickson, senior Edith Feld and junior Jessica Heim from women's swimming & diving all turned in perfect 4.0 semesters. Wassell and Erickson boast a 4.0 cumulative GPA. Former athletes Jessica O'Connor, Amber Petersen and Stephanie Schafer also finished the semester with a 4.0.
• The women's soccer team has the highest cumulative team GPA (3.52) subsequent to the Fall 2012 and posted an impressive team GPA of 3.59 last semester, with 18 team members earning Dean's List honors. Wassell was named the first Academic All-American in the history of the program.
• The women's swimming & diving posted a 3.53 team semester GPA with 16 team members earning Dean's List honors.
• The cumulative GPA of all UNLV student-athletes is a 2.99.
