The Nittany Lion women's gymnastics team was presented with the team award for highest grade-point average during the 2003-04 academic year at the 18th Annual Academic Achievement Awards Banquet held April 11. The women's gymnastics team also posted the highest team GPA in 1990-91 and 1998-99. The squad was presented with the Varsity ¡°S¡± Award for their academic achievement.
Individually, all women¡¯s gymnasts that were eligible earned Academic All-Big Ten honors to lead all conference schools with 12 selections. Cecile Allen, Lisa Clark, Erin Clayton, Meredith Hoover, Michelle Ilg, Ashley Mehrer, Amie Olaes, Jennifer Orlando, Corissa Pirkl, Gena Shingle, Kate Stopper and Stephanie Sullivan all were honored by the conference for their success in the classroom. To be eligible for academic all-conference accolades, student-athletes must be a letterwinner in at least their second academic year at the institution and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.
Sponsored by the Morgan Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes and the Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB), a record total of 322 awards were presented to a record-tying 237 student-athletes for their academic accomplishments in 2003-04. All 237 honorees earned a 3.00 grade point average or higher during the 2003-04 academic year. The previous record for awards was 300 last year.
Presentations also were made to a record 88 seniors who had a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA through the Spring 2004 semester. The 88 total shattered the previous mark of 68 who were recognized in 2000 and 2004.
Among the approximately 750 Penn State student-athletes on 29 varsity teams, the overall average team GPA was an all-time record 3.12 in 2003-04. Twenty teams earned an average of 3.0 or better, one off the school record and an increase from 17 teams in 2002-03 and 15 two years ago. The performance of Penn State's 14 women's programs was particularly notable, earning a combined 3.27 GPA during 2003-04.
For the second time in three years, Penn State student-athletes posted the highest graduation rate among the nation's public institutions, tied with the University of Virginia at 83 percent. Penn State and Virginia tied for the sixth-highest graduation rate overall among the nation's 117 Division I-A institutions.
During the 2003-04 academic year, a school record 245 Penn State student-athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades, the third-highest total in Conference history. Penn State has led all Big Ten institutions in academic all-conference honorees six of the past eight years.
Also during 2003-04, Penn State had five CoSIDA Academic All-America selections, bringing its total to 70 such honorees since 1994. Penn State has had 114 Academic All-Americans all-time to rank among the top five among all NCAA institutions.
