Spartan Gymnastics Hit the Books During the Fall 2007 Semester
1/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Jan. 8, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State University gymnastics team set new academic standards during the 2007 fall semester. The Spartans posted a semester grade point average of 3.6674, the highest fall team average in athletic department history, including seven student-athletes with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
"I am really proud of their accomplishments in the classroom," said head coach Kathie Klages. "Our girls typify what a student-athlete should be. It is impressive that they have been able to find the balance between athletics and academics, especially given how much time they have all spent at offseason workouts this fall."
In addition to having the highest fall GPA among MSU teams, the gymnastics team has the best cumulative GPA (3.4296).
As a whole, the athletic department's fall cumulative grade point average was 2.9326, the highest fall semester average in recorded history, topping the 2.9049 GPA posted during the fall of 2003. In addition, Michigan State set a new high-water mark in number of student-athletes with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a term GPA of 3.0 or higher. During the fall, 49 Spartans earned a perfect 4.0 GPA, shattering the previous high of 40 set last spring, and 348 student-athletes had a GPA of 3.0 or higher, four more than the spring 2001 semester. Currently, 333 MSU student-athletes hold a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, which is the highest number achieved to date. Thirteen Michigan State teams achieved a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher during the fall.
"As a Department, we could not be more pleased with the overall academic achievement of our student-athletes," said Associate Athletics Director and Director of Student-Athlete Support Services Jim Pignataro. "Our athletes demonstrated the true meaning of what it means to be a student-athlete and we appreciate their commitment to academic success."