Record Academic Marks for Cyclone Student-Athletes

AMES, Iowa - Current Iowa State Olympian and former NCAA champion and academic All-American Lisa Uhl was once asked if she regretted putting so much time into her track career and academic achievement at the expense of social interaction and general free time of college life.

"What do you say to a person who says 'Lisa, look what you're missing,'" a reporter asked her in Los Angeles where the Cyclone was in The City of Angels to accept a Honda Track and Field Trophy as the nation's top runner and collegiate academic achiever in her sport.

"I tell them 'look at what you're missing,'" Koll fired back.

Iowa State's student athletes missed very little overall in the classroom during the 2011-2012 academic year. The numbers immediately catch your attention.

"This success starts with our coaches," said Associate Athletics Director for Academic Services Tommy Powell. "It is indicative of the overall culture in our athletics department, which puts a premium on what student-athletes do in the classroom. It starts at the top with (ISU athletics director) Jamie Pollard and trickles down to all 18 sports. The work you put in to be your best athletically demands the same kind of focus academically."

Cyclone student-athletes posted an overall grade point average of 2.97, the best mark in seven years. The overall student body came in a 2.92.
 
Want just the facts?

53.4% of all student-athletes were above a 3.0

16 Cyclones posted a perfect 4.0 grade-point average

25 percent of Iowa State student-athletes earned a grade-point average of more than 3.5

The academic achievement across all team lines:

Volleyball had the highest GPA with a 3.60 - an all-time high for the NCAA Elite Eight program

All Iowa State women's teams' GPAs were above 3.0

Cyclone football had its second-highest GPA ever recorded

Men's basketball had the second highest GPA ever recorded (highest was previous season)

Swimming and diving had the third-highest GPA ever recorded

Men's golf had the highest GPA in the among the Cyclones' men's sports

Monday, cyclones.com will tell the incredible story of the Iowa State volleyball program, whose on-court achievements under head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch are matched only by the team's academic credentials.