USD student-athletes turn in 3.22 GPA

USD student-athletes turn in 3.22 GPA Joel Nielsen, director of athletics at The University of South Dakota, has announced that USDâ�?�?s 340 student-athletes posted a collective grade point average of 3.22 in the spring 2008 semester. Of the 17 NCAA sports that South Dakota sponsors, 15 of them had a team GPA greater than 3.0. All 10 USD womenâ�?�?s programs had a 3.0 or above semester GPA. The NCAA Division II national champion runner-up womenâ�?�?s basketball team recorded the highest mark in the spring with a 3.63 GPA. It is the second semester they had the departmentâ�?�?s top GPA, as they recorded a 3.74 mark in the fall. USDâ�?�?s 10 womenâ�?�?s teams combined for a 3.40 GPA while the seven menâ�?�?s sports produced a 3.01 mark. USD had 64 percent of its student-athletes finish the semester with a GPA of 3.0 or better. A total of 220 Coyote athletes had a 3.0 or above grade point average, including 31 who had a 4.0 mark in the spring. Of those 31 student-athletes that had a 4.0 in the semester, six of them maintain a cumulative 4.0 GPA. â�?�?Our student-athletes take great pride in their academic success and their efforts are supported by an outstanding faculty and staff,â�? said Nielsen. â�?�?These successes could not be attained without the dedication of Dave Lorenz in the academic advising office at the university.â�? Five menâ�?�?s sports posted a team GPA above 3.0 in the spring. The Coyote menâ�?�?s basketball team had a 3.26 GPA as 12 of the 17 members of the 2007-08 squad had a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Over 50 percent of the USD football team had a 3.0 grade point average. Frank Leibfarth, who earned a multitude of academic and athletic awards in four years at USD, finished his career with a 4.0 this past semester and a 3.95 cumulative GPA. â�?�?Coyote student-athletes have shown a desire to succeed academically and the grade point averages are a reflection of their hard work,â�? said David Lorenz, coordinator of athletic academic advising. â�?�?This achievement is also a tribute to the coaches who support and encourage them.â�? The womenâ�?�?s soccer team again notched the best cumulative GPA with a 3.50 mark, as 13 teams had cumulative GPAs 3.0 or above. USD has 190 student-athletes that maintain a 3.0 or better cumulative GPA. The University of South Dakota will begin its first year of transition to NCAA Division I in 2008-09.