Women’s Cross Country Wins Third Straight Valkyries Academic Excellence Award
For the third consecutive semester, the Converse University women’s cross country team has won the Valkyries Academic Excellence Award with a semester GPA of 3.61.
“Every time I turn around, our student-athletes do something to impress me, and their efforts this fall did just that,” Converse University Director of Athletics Jenn Bell said. “Not only did five out of six fall sports qualify for their respective conference tournament this semester, but 16 out of our 21 sports achieved a 3.0 or higher GPA. This is our 11th semester with an overall GPA above our department goal, demonstrating yet again, how seriously our student-athletes, coaches, and administrators take academics. I am very proud of everyone and extremely grateful to our campus partners for helping us pursue academic excellence.”
“Every time I turn around, our student-athletes do something to impress me.”
Director of Athletics Jenn Bell
Every semester Converse athletics teams strive to maintain a 3.0 team GPA. The Valkyries Academic Excellence Award is presented to the team with the highest grade point average at the end of a semester. With their third consecutive semester winning the award, the women’s cross country team has now tied the women’s tennis team for the second-longest reign in the awards history. The women’s golf team holds the record for the most consecutive semesters won with four (Fall 2018-Spring 2020).
The Athletic Department’s overall GPA for the Fall 2023 semester was a 3.11. This past fall, 30 athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA, 52 athletes recorded a 3.75-3.99 GPA, 56 athletes earned between a 3.50-3.74 GPA, and 126 student-athletes recorded at least a 3.00-3.49 GPA this semester.
Converse University is home to the only NCAA Division II athletic teams in Spartanburg, SC, and is a member of Conference Carolinas.