Seton Hill University’s athletic teams achieved the highest grade point average among all schools in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference during the 2014-15 academic year, the second consecutive year the Griffins have attained this recognition, PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray announced today.

Nine Seton Hill teams earned the PSAC Top Team GPA Award in their respective sports, a conference record. The overall GPA achieved by Seton Hill in 2014-15 also breaks a PSAC record.

"Seton Hill student-athletes are remarkable," said Mary C. Finger, Ed.D., Seton Hill president. "This recognition from the PSAC acknowledges again the extraordinary performance of Seton Hill student athletes in the classroom and celebrates the competitive spirit that guides all they do academically and athletically. This accolade brings pride to Seton Hill and to our entire University community."

“I am very proud of our student-athletes’ success in the classroom,” stated Executive Director for Athletic Programs Chris Snyder. “Having the highest grade point average in the PSAC and having nine of our programs achieve the highest GPA in their respective sport is very impressive. This speaks volumes about the high-quality students that our coaches recruit to Seton Hill.”

Overall, Seton Hill athletic teams competing in the PSAC averaged a 3.442 GPA during the 2014-15 school year, in only the University’s second year in the conference. The 3.442 GPA marks a PSAC record.

In addition to the overall achievement, nine Seton Hill athletic teams received the Top Team GPA Award from the PSAC for reaching the highest GPA among their sports across the conference, which includes 18 public and private institutions in Pennsylvania. In 2013-14, seven Seton Hill teams reached this milestone.

The awards, released at the conclusion of the academic year, honor the teams with the top cumulative team grade point average in each of the sponsored sports within the PSAC. The league hosts 23 championships, however, for the award purposes, indoor and outdoor track and field are counted as a single sport.

The nine Seton Hill teams with the highest GPA among their peers include: women's tennis (3.940), women's cross country (3.830), women's basketball (3.690), women’s soccer (3.610), men's soccer (3.580), women's track and field (3.580), women's golf (3.560), men’s basketball (3.450), and baseball (3.330). The volleyball team was second in the PSAC with a 3.620 GPA. All of the other Griffin teams finished in the top half of the league.

Seton Hill's women’s tennis team's 3.940 average was the league's highest cumulative GPA during 2014-15. It is also the highest team GPA since the awards began after the 2011-12 season. Seton Hill also had the second highest team GPA, with the women’s cross country earning a 3.830 average. Seton Hill had eight teams above the 3.5 threshold to lead 24 teams across the PSAC that established a 3.5 or better cumulative GPA.

Seven different PSAC institutions claimed Top Team GPA Awards for the 2014-15 academic year. Other multi-sport honorees including Mercyhurst University with four; West Chester University with three and Gannon University with two.