Seton Hill University’s athletic teams achieved the highest grade point average among all schools in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference during the 2016-17 academic year, the fourth consecutive year the Griffins have attained this recognition, PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray announced today.

Ten Seton Hill teams earned the PSAC Top Team GPA Award in their respective sports. Seton Hill student athletes attained an overall GPA of 3.447 in 2016-17.

"Seton Hill student-athletes continue to display an extraordinary commitment to achieving their best in the classroom and on the field of play,” said Mary C. Finger, Ed.D., Seton Hill president. “All of us at Seton Hill are proud of the accomplishments of our student-athletes whose dedication to their academics has been highlighted by achieving the highest GPA in the PSAC for now four consecutive years.”

“With 10 of Seton Hill’s 17 athletic teams in the PSAC honored as the top academic teams in the conference, our student athletes across all sports continue to exhibit their fierce commitment to their education,” stated Executive Director for Athletic Programs Chris Snyder. “I join with the coaches in saluting our student athlete’s tremendous achievements for the fourth straight year.”

Overall, Seton Hill athletic teams competing in the PSAC averaged a 3.447 GPA during the 2016-17 school year. Seton Hill has had the highest overall GPA in the PSAC in all four years the University has been a member of the conference.

In addition to the overall achievement, 10 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.

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 10 Seton Hill teams with the highest GPA among their peers include: women’s cross country (3.812); women’s soccer (3.677); volleyball (3.671); women’s basketball (3.665); women’s track and field (3.593); women’s lacrosse (3.558); men’s basketball (3.430); men’s soccer (3.335); men’s track and field (3.187); and wrestling (3.075.)

The women’s golf (3.665) and baseball (3.303) teams each placed second.

In addition to the Team GPA awards, 53 percent of Seton Hill’s student-athletes were named Scholar Athletes by the league for earning a GPA of 3.25 or above in the 2016-17 academic year. Seton Hill had the highest percentage of Scholar Athletes among all PSAC institutions. 

Eight different PSAC institutions claimed Top Team GPA Awards for the 2016-17 academic year. Other multi-sport honorees include Gannon University with four and Mercyhurst University with two.