The female student-athletes GPA was an outstanding 3.0.  Over 54 percent (69 of 126) of all female athletes earned a 3.0 or better.  The number of male student-athletes to earn a 3.0 or better was 10 more than their female counterparts, as 79 male student-athletes garnered a 3.0 or greater.

The Cajuns’ 335 student-athletes earned a combined GPA of 2.83 in the spring.  UL has now seen a student-athlete GPA of 2.86, 2.76, 2.77 and 2.83 over the last four semesters.

In fact, the spring 2008 semester for athletics was only three one-hundredths of a point from the best GPA ever recorded by student-athletes at UL (2.86 in the Fall 2006).

“What our student-athletes are doing is absolutely magnificent,” senior associate AD Scott Farmer said.  “It’s obvious that they are extremely committed to academics.”
Twenty-one Cajuns earned a perfect 4.0 GPA during the spring semester.  Eight of those 21 student-athletes also posted a 4.0 in the fall, including starting quarterback Michael Desormeaux, All-Sun Belt soccer player Stephanie Lynch and Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year Ashley Brignac.

For Desormeaux, he was one of only four starting quarterbacks in the Football Bowl Subdivision to earn a 4.0 for both the fall and spring semesters.

An additional 41 student-athletes earned a 3.50-3.99, while 86 more logged between a 3.0-3.49.

“Our student-athletes graduate at a higher rate than the student body,” student-athlete academic center director Danny Cottonham said.  “They continue to work hard on the field and in the classroom and we are seeing the results.

“Our softball team had a spring GPA of 3.164 and advanced to the Women’s College World Series.  You can be successful at both aspects and our student-athletes deserve all the praise.”

The soccer team captured the best team GPA with a 3.283.  It was soccer’s eleventh consecutive semester with a team GPA greater than 3.0.  The volleyball team posted a 3.275 to extend their streak of consecutive semesters with a team GPA greater than 3.0 to seven.  The golf team captured high honors for men’s programs for the second straight semester with a 3.067 GPA.

Six teams posted a team GPA greater than 3.0, while nine of the Cajuns’ 12 teams had a team GPA of at least 2.75.
Ragin’ Cajuns student-athletes are winning in the classroom and raising the bar for academic success within the University.

Notes…The Sun Belt recently released its 2007-08 list of academic achievements and over 45 percent of the Cajuns student-athletes earned academic praise…The Cajuns had 62 student-athletes on the Sun Belt Commissioner’s List and 94 student-athletes on the Sun Belt Honor Roll…Despite representing 7.7 percent (1 of 13) of the conference, UL accounted for 10.4 percent of the academic honors.

Baseball saw 24 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better
Blaine Lafluer, 4.0

Men’s Basketball saw 5 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better
Maurice Barksdale, David Dees, 4.0

Women’s Basketball saw 3 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better
Blair Brodhead, 4.0

Football saw 25 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better
Michael Desormeaux, 4.0

Golf saw 8 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better

Women’s Soccer saw 20 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better
Bridgette Adorno, Dannae Devahl, Kerri Luyties, Stephanie Lynch, Katherine Mixon, Stephanie Weston, 4.0
Team GPA 3.283 (avg. semester hours = 15.8)
Team Cumulative GPA 3.384

Softball saw 14 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better
Ashley Brignac, Meagan Godwin, Vanessa Soto, Courtney Trahan, 4.0

Men’s Tennis saw 4 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better

Women’s Tennis saw 4 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better
Mia Gordon, Jill Landry, Kim Van der Horst, 4.0

Men’s Track saw 13 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better

Women’s Track saw 18 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better
Jasmine Collins, 4.0

Volleyball saw 10 S-A’s post a 3.0 or better
Tara Cote, Carly Payan, 4.0
Team GPA 3.275 (avg. semester hours = 15.4)
Team Cumulative GPA 3.253