Editor’s Note: An earlier online version of this article stated four teams had program record GPAs. The Communications office was given incorrect GPAs for women’s ski, women’s soccer and softball. Those changes are reflected below and the article corrected.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Winning is fun, and if you look at New Mexico Athletics, you see programs up and down that win … from championships to top NCAA finishes. Winning is fun. Winning on the field and winning in the classroom? Well, that’s really what it’s all about, and that perfectly describes the Lobo student-athletes.
The fall, 2014 grades have been finalized, and for the 15th straight semester, the department’s student-athletes have combined to surpass a 3.0 GPA, coming in for the fall semester at 3.21. Overall it’s the 25th semester in the last 26, dating back to the Fall of 2002, that UNM has had a 3.0 GPA for the semester.
“Our student-athletes continually put in the work in the classroom, and we are proud of their accomplishments,” said Henry Villegas, Associate A.D. for Student Development. “Our coaches are recruiting talented student-athletes, and they emphasize and stress academics. I’m also proud of our team of academic advisors that work so closely with our student-athletes.”
The 3.21 GPA is slightly above the general population of UNM, which had a 3.17 GPA, and it’s the seventh straight semester that has occurred. The male student-athletes combined for a 3.01 GPA, their sixth straight 3.0 or better, and the female student-athletes combined for a 3.50 GPA, the third-highest recorded GPA, the 15th straight semester with a 3.3, and the 33rd straight semester with a 3.0.
Three programs had single-semester highs, highlighted by the track program as both men’s and women’s track teams set program highs (the track programs encompass cross country, indoor and outdoor teams). The women’s program had a 3.63 grade point average and the men’s team tied its high with a 3.30 GPA. The men’s basketball team had its first 3.0 GPA with a 3.02. That followed a 2.94 last semester, which was the third-best in program history. The women’s ski team nearly was the fourth program with a record semester, pulling in a 3.81 GPA. It was their best semester since the fall of 1995, when it recorded a 3.82 GPA.
Overall 16 of the 17 programs recorded team-wide 3.0 or higher grade point averages. Below are the program highlights:
Baseball: 3.13, fifth straight semester of a 3.0 GPA
Men’s Basketball: 3.02, program high, eight straight semesters of a 2.5 GPA
Football: 2.59, sixth straight semester of a 2.5 GPA
Men’s Golf: 3.39, 15th straight semester of a 3.0 GPA
Men’s Skiing: 3.39, 33rd straight semester of a 3.0 GPA, 39th semester out of 40
Men’s Soccer: 3.44, highest men’s program this semester, seventh straight semester of a 3.0 GPA
Men’s Tennis: 3.43, 11th straight semester of a 3.0 GPA
Men’s Track: 3.30, tied program high, seventh straight semester of a 3.0 GPA
Women’s Basketball: 3.22, 28th straight semester of a 3.0 GPA
Women’s Golf: 3.84, department-best, 27th straight semester of a 3.0 GPA, 4th straight semester of a 3.8 GPA
Women’s Sand Volleyball: 3.55, 1st semester of the sport
Women’s Ski: 3.81, 34th straight semester of a 3.0 GPA, 16th straight semester of a 3.3 GPA
Women’s Soccer: 3.49, 33rd straight semester of a 3.0 GPA
Softball: 3.36: 17th straight semester of a 3.0 GPA
Swimming & Diving: 3.51, 33rd straight semester of a 3.0 GPA, ninth straight semester of a 3.3 GPA
Women’s Tennis: 3.36, 33rd straight semester of a 3.0 GPA, 17th straight semester of a 3.3 GPA
Women’s Track: 3.63, program high, 22nd straight semester of a 3.0 GPA, 15th straight semester of a 3.3 GPA
Volleyball: 3.26, 24th semester out of 25 with a 3.0 GPA, sixth straight semester of a 3.0 GPA