Pirates Achieve Record GPA After Successful Spring

South Orange, N.J. - Seton Hall Athletics tirelessly positions its student-athletes for success on and off the field, and academic excellence has been and always will be a priority for the department. Once again, the effort of recruiting the best and the brightest to come to Seton Hall has paid off with record results. Pirates student-athletes have capped a brilliant 2017-18 academic year with a 3.405 cumulative grade point average (GPA), shattering the department's previous GPA high of 3.378.

This marks the eighth consecutive year that Seton Hall has concluded an academic year with a record-high cumulative GPA. The ascent dates back to the end of the 2010-11 academic year, when the collective's GPA was at 3.174.

In addition, 146 student-athletes made the Seton Hall Dean's List during the Spring 2018 semester, representing 58 percent of the student-athlete population. To achieve Dean's List designation, students must have a 3.4 GPA or higher during the semester.

RECORD-HIGH GRADES FOR THE PIRATES! Our department's cumulative GPA after the spring semester is 3.405! That's Dean's List level! #HALLin pic.twitter.com/nN3ujSgAM7
— Seton Hall Athletics (@SHUAthletics) June 7, 2018

"We are once again thrilled to report a record-high grade point average for this department as our student-athletes continue to demonstrate that they are stars in the classroom and equipped to take advantage of the educational opportunities presented to them," Vice President and Director of Athletics Patrick Lyons said. "Achieving this high a grade-point average is, of course, no small feat, and we must acknowledge the hard work that our student-athletes have put in alongside their athletic responsibilities to achieve this milestone. Congratulations to all our student-athletes, academic support staffers, coaches and administrators on this accomplishment."

"Not only have our student-athletes proven to be academically strong, but they are also achieving at a level that is above and beyond the average student," Director of Academic Support Services Matt Geibel said. "To have our entire student-athlete population averaging Dean's List level grades and nearly 60 percent of our student-athletes achieving Dean's List individually this semester is an impressive feat, and we are all very proud of what they are accomplishing."

Seton Hall student-athletes also posted very strong individual semester and year-end grades as the department combined to deliver a 3.422 Spring 2018 semester GPA and a 3.396 year-end GPA (Fall and Spring semesters combined). Both numbers represent an increase from this time last year when student-athletes had a 3.372 Spring 2017 GPA and a 3.380 2016-17 year-end GPA.

The women's golf team holds the highest cumulative GPA of the 14 Pirates varsity teams at 3.684, and men's soccer has the highest cumulative GPA of the six male sports at 3.465. Thirteen of the 14 teams have cumulative GPAs above 3.0, and 10 of the 14 teams have GPAs above 3.40.

This is just the latest in Seton Hall Athletics' academic accolades and honors as the department continues to be a leader and developer of the best and brightest in the nation:

Six programs — baseball, men's cross country, women's cross country, men's golf, women's golf and women's swimming & diving — were recognized by the NCAA with the APR Public Recognition Award, sporting APR scores in the top 10 percent of their respective sports.
Thirteen of the 14 varsity programs have a multi-year APR score above the national average.
Forty student-athletes, with at least junior year academic standing, were inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher.
Mike Alescio of the baseball team and Katie Landes of the women's soccer team were named the Seton Hall Senior Student-Athletes of the Year after finishing with the highest cumulative GPA in the Class of 2018.
Alexis Walkden of the softball team was named the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year for her sport.

Seton Hall's End-of-Year Cumulative GPA since 2011:

2010-11: 3.174

2011-12: 3.223

2012-13: 3.251

2013-14: 3.290

2014-15: 3.346

2015-16: 3.373

2016-17: 3.376

2017-18: 3.405