Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns student-athletes posted a record-setting 2.880 grade-point-average in the Spring 2011 semester - the highest GPA ever recorded in the 29-year history of the Student-Athlete Academic Center (since 1982). By comparison, the University undergraduate student body posted a 2.553 for the Spring 2011 semester.
The student-athletes had a GPA of 2.839 in the Fall 2010 semester to mark the first time a combined 2.8 GPA has ever been recorded in consecutive semesters. Just 10 years ago, the combined student-athlete GPA was 2.531 in the Fall 2000 semester and 2.458 in the Spring 2001 semester.

Almost 48 percent of the Cajuns student-athletes (147) posted a 3.0 GPA or higher during the Spring 2011 semester.

The female student-athletes' GPA was again above a 3.0 (3.08) with 60 percent (67 of 111) of all female athletes earning a 3.0 or better. The entire Cajuns student-athletes currently hold an overall cumulative GPA of 2.893, which is higher than the University's general student body cumulative GPA (2.727).

Fifteen of the Cajuns 16 teams had higher team GPA's in the Spring 2011 semester than the corresponding all-female (2.631) or all-male (2.445) campus average.

In addition, seven of the Cajuns eight women's teams had at least 50 percent of their student-athletes earn a 3.0 or better.

Men's tennis (3.369) and women's tennis (3.308) garnered top team GPA honors for the Spring 2011 semester, a much more difficult task with each engaged in their playing season. It was the highest team GPA ever recorded for men's tennis.

The football team, in its first semester under new head coach Mark Hudspeth, scored a 2.672 team GPA - the highest football GPA ever recorded by the Student-Athlete Academic Center.

Softball notched a 3.218 GPA and has posted a team GPA of 3.0 or better in each of the last eight consecutive semesters. The soccer team had a team GPA of 3.282. It was soccer's 17th consecutive semester with a team GPA greater than 3.0.

"There's no question that the student-athletes are doing a tremendous job," Interim Director of Athletics Scott Farmer said. "Everyone from the Student-Athlete Academic Center to our administration and coaches push our student-athletes to succeed, but ultimately it's the student-athletes themselves that are getting the job done.

The Spring 2011 semester grade report is more good news for Ragin' Cajuns athletics, as the NCAA recently reported its' APR data.

The most recent APR data (2009-10 academic year), shows that the Cajuns are doing very well in terms of the NCAA's 925 benchmark score. The multi-year rate (four-year moving average) for each one of the Cajuns 16 sports met the benchmark.

In fact, the Cajuns baseball (979) and men's basketball (984) multi-year scores eclipsed the national average of 959 and 945, respectively, by a wide margin. Football's multi-year score of 943 is nearly identical to the national average of 946.

Among its Sun Belt peers, the Cajuns baseball and men's basketball APR rank first in the conference. Men's tennis (974), women's cross country (986) and soccer (990) place second, while football and softball (978) show third overall in the SBC.

Additional Academic Facts

Nine teams (64%) finished the 2010-11 academic year with a cumulative team GPA at 3.0 or better;
Men's Cross Country (3.402),
Soccer (3.251),
Women's Tennis (3.210),
Men's Tennis (3.209),
Softball (3.176),
Women's Track (3.066),
Women's Cross Country (3.059),
Golf (2.996)
Volleyball (2.969).

14 student-athletes earned a 4.0 in the Fall 2010 and 19 earned a 4.0 in the Spring 2011.

There were seven student-athletes to earn a 4.0 in both semesters; Ashley Brignac, Natalie Fernandez & Christi Orgeron (Softball), Daniel Alban & Yanick Mandl (Men's Tennis), Juan Rodriguez (Men's Track) and Kirsten Meche (Women's Track).

31 football players each semester (roughly 30%) had a 3.0 GPA or better. Under the guidance of new head coach Mark Hudspeth in the Spring 2011 semester, the team recorded its highest team GPA in history.

59 percent (70 of 119) of all female athletes in the Fall 2010 and 60 percent (67 of 111) in the Spring 2011 earned a 3.0 GPA or better.