As another academic season comes to a close, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock once again showed its commitment to excellence not only in competition but in the classroom, finishing the spring 2018 semester with a department-wide cumulative grade point average of 3.28. 

That mark comes on the heels of the Trojans boasting a department-record 3.3 GPA following the fall 2017 semester as Little Rock student-athletes have now posted a department-wide GPA of 3.0 or better for the 12th-straight semester.

“The academic success of our student-athletes continue to impress,” said Director of Athletics Chasse Conque. “Our focus each and every day is to Graduate Champions, and I could not be more proud of the hard work of our student-athletes again this semester. I express my appreciation to our coaches, as well as Senior Woman Administrator Molly Castner, as they deserve a great deal of credit for continuing to provide support and mentorship, giving our student-athletes the tools they need to succeed.”

Ten of Little Rock’s 12 intercollegiate athletic programs finished the spring 2018 semester with a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or better. Additionally, 118 Trojan student-athletes recorded a semester GPA of 3.0 or better, including 36 that boasted a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the semester.

Once again, women’s golf led the way with a 3.7 cumulative GPA, followed by women’s cross country with a 3.67 GPA. Soccer registered a 3.66 team GPA with 22 players finishing the semester with a 3.0 or higher, led by a department-best 13 student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA.

Men’s golf finished the spring semester with a team GPA of 3.49, followed by swimming and diving team’s 3.48 mark, including 25 student-athletes with a 3.0 or better and 11 with a perfect 4.0. Volleyball added eight student-athletes over a 3.0 GPA and three more perfect 4.0 for the semester, finishing with a team GPA of 3.35.

Baseball boasts a 3.27 cumulative team GPA, including 23 players with a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher during their competition season, capturing the Sun Belt’s Team Academic Champion for 2018. Women’s track and field (3.16), men’s cross country (3.09) and women’s basketball (3.0) completed the list of programs finishing the 2017-18 academic year with team cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or better.

One of the department’s main goals is to Graduate Champions, something Little Rock Athletics continues to put at the forefront. The Trojans boast a Graduation Success Rate of 81 percent, leading all Division I programs in the state of Arkansas for five-straight seasons.

Student-athletes who earned a 4.0 GPA during the spring 2018 semester include:

Baseball: Cody Daylor
Men’s Basketball: Ryan Pippins
Men’s Golf: Marcel Rauch
Women’s Golf: Pernille Orlien and Thea Wakeford-Wesmann
Soccer: Doro Greulich, Nora Hellmers, Kelly Hogan, Maia Martinez, Claire Palmer, Samantha Rolka, Lisa Ryan, Liesa Seifert, Logan Strange, Megan Swanson, Sairra Tucker, Josie Verslues, and Quinn Wilkes
Swimming and Diving: Jessie Baldwin, Emma Doll, Anela Everett, Isabelle Finzen, Tori Fryar, Samantha Gray, Ann Kharlamova, Avery McLean, Palmer Ristroph, Laura Ruiz Astorga, and Charis Won
Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country: Max Holzmueller
Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country: Hannah Manning, Christina Nickerson, and Hunter Paul
Volleyball: Marina Avram, Taylor Lindberg, and Veronica Marin