Arcadia University’s nearly 350 student-athletes once again proved their prowess in the classroom in the spring 2014 semester, earning a 3.33 combined grade point average (GPA). Each of the University’s 17 varsity programs earned a combined GPA of at least a 3.0, with 12 programs above 3.20 and eight programs exceeding 3.40.

“We take great pride in the academic achievements of our student-athletes, and to have each program earn a grade point average over 3.0 this past semester is truly remarkable,” said Director of Athletics Brian Granata. “We have embraced the NCAA Division III philosophy of academics being the priority of our student-athletes, and because of that our program-wide GPA has increased in each of the past four semesters.”

A total of 87 Arcadia student-athletes earned a spot on the University’s Dean’s Honor List, which recognizes students with a semester GPA of 3.67 or higher. That group included 34 student-athletes who earned Dean’s Distinguished Honors List distinction for having a semester GPA between 3.90 and 4.0.

The men’s programs were led by the men’s tennis team, which earned a 3.72 combined GPA for the spring 2014 semester, followed by men’s swimming (3.20 combined GPA), and men’s soccer (3.15 combined GPA). On the women’s side, the equestrian program earned a 3.62 combined GPA, followed by field hockey (3.55 combined GPA) and women’s golf (3.49 combined GPA).

Arcadia now has 16 of its 17 varsity programs with a team cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, with eight programs maintaining a cumulative GPA above 3.20.

The men’s tennis team once again leads the men’s programs with a 3.59 cumulative GPA, with men’s soccer (3.16 cumulative GPA) ranking second and men’s swimming (3.14 cumulative GPA) ranking third. The women’s equestrian is also the top women’s program with a 3.47 cumulative GPA, while women’s golf (3.44 cumulative GPA) and women’s swimming (3.41 cumulative GPA) rank second and third, respectively.

Arcadia’s student-athletes were widely recognized during this past term for their academic success. The Knights had 68 members of the baseball, basketball, golf, lacrosse, softball, swimming, and tennis programs named to the Middle Atlantic Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll, as well as seven Middle Atlantic Conference Academic All-Conference selections in seniors Rachel Dolly (women’s lacrosse) and Shannon Massott (women’s golf), juniors Whitney Boeckel (women’s swimming), Haylee Molloy (women’s lacrosse), and Colin Pippert (men’s golf), and sophomores Jordyn Dunacusky (women’s lacrosse) and Timothy Graham (men’s swimming). The academic all-conference team teams recognize those student-athletes that excel both academically and athletically.

Boeckel, Dunacusky, Graham, Molloy, and Massott also were named to Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly-SIDA Academic All-Area teams, which are selected by the sports information offices of the 28 NCAA Division I, II and III institutions from the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Boeckel also was honored by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), earning First-Team All-District honors as an at-large selection.