In the just-completed Spring 2015 semester, the average semester grade point average of USC's 550 student-athletes increased to 3.00 and the cumulative GPA average was 2.93, both the highest figures since records were first compiled in 2000 (besting the 2.95 and 2.88 record marks that were posted in the Fall 2014 semester).
There were 305 student-athletes with a Spring 2015 GPA of at least 3.0--comprising 55% of USC's student-athlete population, the largest percentage of student-athletes with at least a 3.0 semester GPA in USC history. There were 14 Trojans with perfect 4.0 semester GPAs. Some 143 Trojan student-athletes made the Dean's List in the Spring 2015 semester, 15 more than any other semester.For the second semester in a row, 12 of USC's teams had a Spring 2015 GPA over 3.0, led by the women's soccer squad's 3.35 (the men's high was volleyball's 3.17).
The football team had its highest semester (2.71) and cumulative (2.52) GPA on record. The cume figure has improved each of the past four semesters. Nearly a third of the football roster (a record 33 players) posted a Spring 2015 GPA of at least 3.0 and, for the third consecutive semester, nine football players were on the Dean's List.
Women's rowing had 16 members on the Dean's List, while women's lacrosse had 15, women's swimming and diving had 13, women's soccer had 11, women's track and field and women's water polo both had 10 and men's volleyball, men's track and field and men's swimming and diving each had nine Dean's Listers.
Men's basketball's 2.74 Spring 2015 GPA was a high for the sport and it was nearly a .50 increase over its Fall 2014 mark. Its 2.66 cumulative GPA was its second highest total ever.
Making USC's rising student-athlete academic success all the more impressive is the fact that these numbers were accomplished with a smaller pool of total student-athletes because of roster management measures implemented recently by the athletic department.
"First, congratulations to all of our student-athletes for putting in the hard work in the classroom and seeing it result like this," said Dr. Magdi El-Shahawy, USC senior associate athletic director in charge of Student-Athlete Academic Services. "They have done a wonderful job balancing their athletic and academic pursuits. We also must recognize the efforts of our academic counselors, learning specialists and tutors, as well as the cooperative spirit of our coaches and athletic department administration. They all work diligently to uphold a standard of academic excellence that ensures USC student-athletes have the necessary skills to succeed in life.
"Since SAAS moved into the Stevens Academic Center in the John McKay Center three years ago, we have seen a noticeable increase in the academic performance of our student-athletes. We are so grateful for the gifts of Mark Stevens and our many other donors, as their support is vital to our continued academic success."
