Fans of the UNM athletic program usually look at the win-loss column to determine if it had a successful season, but the Lobos also are improving in the classroom.
For the second straight semester the student-athletes at UNM combined to achieve a 2.91 grade point average, which is the highest average since the athletic program started charting academic performance in 1988.
“It is a tribute to our student-athletes and their efforts to do well in the classroom,” said Danny Trujillo, UNM assistant athletics director for academic services.
It is the fifth straight semester that the Lobos have earned a 2.89 grade point average or higher.
“The coaches are recruiting students and the advisement center is a great tool for players,” Trujillo said.
He added that UNM faculty are very supportive and understanding.
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Trujillo said the support and stability that UNM academic departments provide has helped the athletes a great deal. He said advisers and coaches make sure athletes go to study hall, get mentoring and tutoring when needed, and get one-on-one help.
The football team earned the most notable grade point average. Usually ranked at the bottom academically, the football team continued its trend and finished with the worst average among the 17 teams listed. However, the 2.59 average achieved by the team is the highest in school history.
“We are making strides in the right direction,” UNM head football coach Rocky Long said. “We have players and we are recruiting players who are interested in academics.”
Both Trujillo and Long gave credit to academic adviser David Fox, who works with the football team.
Even with the improving grades, Long said the team is still looking to do better.
“With the 130 players we have in our program, we want to get up to 2.65 or 2.7,” he said. “That would be extraordinary considering all the players we have from diverse backgrounds. But we also want to get the GPA up where other people think it’s extraordinary.”
In the fall, the Lobo athletic program had 48 players on the Mountain West Conference all-academic teams. The conference has not announced most of the spring sports’ all-academic teams.
To be selected on the all-academic team a student-athlete must complete at least one academic term at the school, maintain a 3.0 grade point average or better and be a starter or be a significant contributor on the team.
Among the other programs, men’s skiing recorded the highest grade point average at 3.75, followed by women’s skiing at 3.45. The men’s basketball team had a 2.75 average.
With the determination of the student-athletes, the coaches and the academic services, Athletics Director Rudy Davalos expects grade point averages will only increase.
“We are really happy with the progress we are making, we are becoming consistent,” Davalos said. “Our goal is a 3.0, which would be really fantastic for a state school.”
