ACADEMIC SUCCESS GROWING
Success at California Baptist University has never been limited to athletics, with academics playing just as big a role for the Lancers. CBU’s 436 student-athletes continue to succeed in the classroom in 2015-16, evidenced by the 92-percent academic success rate, highest department grade point average at 3.241 and slew of individual all-academic awards that came in this year.
“I’m so proud of our student-athlete success in the classroom,” said director of athletics, Dr. Micah Parker. “Our student-athletes are competing in all aspects of their opportunities at CBU. I also think this is a result of the good work Rachel Keys is doing as the Athletic Academic Counselor.”
The Academic Success Rate is supplemental to the Federal Graduation Rate and accounts for all student-athletes who were on an official squad list, participating as of the first date of competition in the championship segment of their sport.
“This is an outstanding accomplishment and a great improvement from our first ASR of 76-percent in 2010-11,” said Keys, who is also the Senior Woman Administrator.
A total of 221 Lancers brought home all-academic awards across five conferences, as well. CBU also led the PacWest in all-academic selections for the third year in a row with 169 in all.
Baseball (Dylan Stowell), women’s volleyball (Jenna Perry) and women’s swim/dive (Christie Halverson) produced the academic athletes of the year in their sports. There were more standout academic awards given, as Stowell was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American. Wrestling’s Nolan Kistler nabbed the RMAC Summit and CoSIDA Elite 90 awards for being the individual with the highest GPA to compete at the RMAC and Division II Championships.
CBU’s women’s volleyball team boasted the highest GPA with a 3.809 over the year (3.864 in the spring). Men’s golf had the highest GPA out of the men’s teams, with a 3.276. Women’s water polo posted the third-highest team GPA in the NCAA (Divisions I-III) with a 3.47, and wrestling won the Brechler Award for recording the top GPA in the RMAC.
“I am so incredibly proud of the efforts of our student-athletes and the CBU faculty and staff who support them,” said faculty athletic representative, Dr. David Pearson. “Participation in athletics assists in developing many needed skills, but without a degree and the education it represents, professional opportunities are limited. I am thrilled that our student-athletes are maximizing their potential for success by performing at such a high level in both athletics and academics.”