BOSTON – 63 percent of America East student-athletes who competed in winter or spring sports during the 2014-15 academic year have earned America East Honor Roll distinction. 1,331 total student-athletes maintained a GPA of 3.00 or higher, and from that total, over 51 percent earned Commissioner’s Honors Roll status, completing the spring semester with a GPA of 3.50 or higher.
"Our student-athletes in the America East continue to find success in the classroom, while balancing the rigors of participating in Division I athletics. It is truly impressive to see such outstanding work and commitment from these talented individuals," said America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen.
UMass Lowell had the most student-athletes honored (175), while UMBC (169), and Binghamton (162) rounded out the top three. They were followed by Albany (151), New Hampshire (144), Maine (141), Stony Brook (140), Hartford (125), Vermont (117), and NJIT women’s tennis (7), an associate member.
The River Hawks also had the most Commissioner’s Honor Roll student athletes with 90, with Binghamton and UMBC following close with 87 apiece.
The University of New Hampshire had the highest percentage of winter/spring student-athletes receive Honor Roll distinction; 71.29 percent of Wildcat student athletes earned a GPA of 3.00 or greater. Maine had 68.45 percent of theirs to earn the second highest percentage mark.
In addition, Vermont (65.36 percent), Hartford (64.10 percent), UMass Lowell (62.28 percent), UMBC (61.90 percent), Stony Brook (61.11 percent) and Binghamton (60 percent) all had over at least 60 percent of their winter/spring student athletes listed.
56.94 percent of New Hampshire’s Honor Roll receivers also made it onto the Commissioner’s Honor roll, the highest percentage in the conference.
The Wildcats had the highest number of Honor Roll recipients in women’s indoor and outdoor track & field with 57 and 58 being named for each sport, respectively. The other teams with the highest number of honorees in each sports were: baseball, Hartford/Maine (21); men’s basketball, Stony Brook (9); women’s basketball, Maine (13); men’s lacrosse, Albany (27); women’s lacrosse, Stony Brook (23); women’s tennis, UMBC (10); softball, UMass Lowell (21); women’s swimming & diving, Maine (27).
Albany’s men’s lacrosse and Stony Brook women’s lacrosse were both America East conference champions this year.
America East is proud to have one of most comprehensive academic awards programs in the country. In addition to the Academic Honor Roll, Presidential Scholar-Athlete awards are bestowed to student-athletes who graduate with a 3.75 GPA. All-Academic teams comprised of student-athletes that excel both academically and athletically are chosen in each of the conference’s 19 sports. Additionally, a Scholar-Athlete, someone who distinguishes himself/herself as the top student-athlete in his/her sport, is awarded. From that group, one male and one female is selected the America East Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The conference also recognizes all student-athletes who achieve at least a 3.0 GPA on its Academic Honor Roll, with those achieving a 3.50 average or better receiving Commissioner’s Honor Roll status. Finally, the Academic Cup is presented to the institution whose student-athletes post the highest grade-point average during that academic year.