ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It stands to reason that at some point, you just can’t keep setting GPA records. Lobo student-athletes didn’t get that memo. Once again, Lobo student-athletes excelled in the classroom, establishing records for overall GPA, female student-athlete GPA, and tying the record for male student-athlete GPA. It’s the third time in the last four semesters that UNM’s student-athletes have set a new department mark.
UNM’s student-athletes recorded a cumulative GPA for the semester of 3.32, besting the previous high water mark of 3.31, established last Spring. That came of the heels of a record 3.30 in the Fall of 2015, which UNM tied last Fall. Overall, it marks 18 consecutive semesters that Lobo student-athletes have recorded at least a 3.0 grade point average. In addition, UNM’s women’s team recorded a record GPA of 3.59, making it eight straight semesters of a 3.5 GPA, and the men’s teams tied the school record with a third consecutive 3.13 GPA.
The three GPA records are a nice feather in the cap of retired Vice President for Athletics Paul Krebs, who made academic reform and improvement one of his key platforms when he was hired 11 years ago.
Five teams established new program highs, but easily the bar was set highest by the women’s ski team, which recorded a department record 4.01 GPA. Women’s skiing held the previous department record at 3.95 in the Fall of 2015, and it marked its 20th straight semester of at least a 3.5 GPA. Other programs that established new team records were men’s golf (3.70), men’s track/cross country (3.53), beach volleyball (3.85) and women’s soccer (3.77).
Men’s basketball and women’s golf were close to program records, and several sports kept up long streaks, including women’s basketball, which recorded a 33rd straight semester of a 3.0 or better, and women’s tennis, who recorded a 38th straight semester of a 3.0 or better.
The most recent UNM Athletics Strategic Plan had a focus on “Lobos for Life” a holistic approach to developing the UNM student-athlete, which includes a “Commitment to Athletic Excellence”, a “Commitment to Personal Development” and a “Commitment to Academic Excellence.”
Below is a listing of each sports’ Spring 2016 GPA and any pertinent notes:
| Men’s Sports | ||
| Baseball | 3.15 | Second-best Spring semester GPA, 10th straight semester with at least a 3.0 |
| Basketball | 3.11 | Second-best GPA in program history; 18 of last 19 semesters with at least 2.7 |
| Football | 2.76 | Fourth-best semester in program history |
| Golf | 3.70 | Program record, highest GPA for a men’s team this semester; 20th straight semester with at least a 3.0 |
| Ski | 3.53 | 37th straight semester with at least a 3.2 |
| Soccer | 3.56 | Tied for third-best GPA in program history, 12th straight semester with at least a 3.2 |
| Tennis | 3.44 | 14th straight semester with at least a 3.2 |
| Track & Field | 3.50 | Program record, 10th straight semester with at least a 3.2 |
| Women’s Sports | ||
| Basketball | 3.02 | 33rd straight semester with at least a 3.0 |
| Golf | 3.88 | Tied for second-best GPA in program history, 10th straight semester with at least a 3.7 |
| Track | 3.52 | 20th straight semester with at least a 3.3 |
| Beach Volleyball | 3.85 | Program record; sixth straight semester with at least a 2.8 |
| Ski | 4.01 | Department and program record, 20th straight semester with at least a 3.5 |
| Soccer | 3.77 | Program record, 14th straight semester with at least a 3.4 |
| Softball | 3.33 | 22nd straight semester with at least a 3.0 |
| Swimming & Diving | 3.55 | 38th straight semester with at least a 3.0, 23rd straight semester with at least a 3.2 |
| Tennis | 3.60 | 38 straight semester with at least a 3.0 |
| Volleyball | 3.55 | Third-best GPA in program history, 11th straight semester with at least a 3.0; 29 of last 30 semesters with at least a 3.0 |
| Male Student-Athletes | 3.13 | Tied department record; Third straight semester breaking or tying record, 11 straight semesters of a 3.0 |
| Female Student-Athletes | 3.59 | Department record; 14th straight semester of a 3.4 |
| Overall Student-Athletes | 3.32 | Department record, 18 straight semesters of a 3.0, 10 straight semesters of a 3.2 |