Banner Fall for Student-Athletes in the Classroom

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – It was a memorable fall for the Carnegie Mellon Athletics Program, as five of six fall teams advanced to postseason play, the basketball and swimming and diving teams got off to great starts, and the women’s golf team earned a number one national ranking. Four teams competed in the NCAA postseason, including the women’s soccer team’s run to the national semifinals, and the Tartans once again finished the fall 16th in the Learfield Directors’ Cup Standings. On top of the competitive success, 104 student-athletes achieved 4.0 grade-point averages (GPA) and more than 60 percent of the student-athletes earned a 3.50 GPA or better.

All 19 varsity athletic programs achieved a 3.25 GPA or better with the females recording a 3.52 average GPA and the males a 3.42 average. The 16-member volleyball team led the way with a 3.72 GPA with both the 25-member women’s cross country team and 16-member men’s basketball team on their heels with 3.67 team GPAs. It marked the second straight fall the men’s basketball team collected the best team GPA amongst men’s teams.

The women’s golf team compiled a 3.60 average with four 4.0s while winning two tournaments and finishing second in another. The women’s soccer team had seven members earn a 4.0 with a team average of 3.48 while the men’s soccer team collected a 3.42 GPA including nine 4.0s. The men’s cross country team, which competed at the NCAA Championships for the sixth straight year and finished 18th, earned a 3.38 GPA just like the 110-member football team, which returned to the postseason with an ECAC Bowl game for the fourth time in five years.

“I am blown away by our student-athletes, and the way they excel in all domains,” said Director of Athletics Josh Centor. “The Carnegie Mellon Athletics story has never been stronger – we are competing at high levels across our intercollegiate program while achieving at extraordinary levels in the classroom. Our student-athletes epitomize what college sports should be about.”

On top of the semester success, 18 upperclassmen maintained cumulative GPA’s of 4.0 while 25 first-years jump started their academic careers with perfect marks. The success was widespread among the colleges, as 42 students with 4.0s were enrolled in the College of Engineering, 23 in the Tepper School of Business, 22 in Dietrich College, seven in the Mellon College of Science, seven in the School of Computer Science, and three in the College of Fine Arts.