Clemson student-athletes for the 15 sports programs posted a 2.89 GPA for the spring semester according to data release by the Clemson University Office of Institutional Research. The 2.89 GPA was the third best semester on record. Two-hundred and twenty-seven of the 456 student-athletes on the rosters of the 15 programs made the academic honor roll (3.0 or better), nearly a 50 percent rate.
"We are very pleased with the work of Becky Bowman and her staff at Vickery Hall," said Clemson Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips. "They put in countless hours and their hard work has led to these consistent, excellent results. I also want to compliment our coaches who have obviously made academics a priority."
The Clemson football team established an all-time record of 2.63 GPA for the spring semester, breaking the mark of 2.58 established in the spring of 2001. Each of the top nine semester GPAs on record by the football team have taken place during Tommy Bowden's tenure as head coach.
The Tiger football team had 37 of its student-athletes named to the academic honor roll, including six starters. Punter Jimmy Maners earned a perfect 4.0 and was named to the President's List, while starting center Thomas Austin made the dean's list. Michael Hamlin, who graduated in May, but will return for a fifth year of eligibility in the fall, also made the academic honor roll, as did starting tight end Brian Linthicum. Two-sport athletes C.J. Spiller and Mark Buchholz both made the academic honor roll in each semester in 2007-08, quite an accomplishment considering their respective schedules.
The Clemson men's basketball program had an outstanding semester as well with a 2.60 GPA, the fifth best on record, and six members of the team were named to the academic honor roll, tied for the second highest total in program history. Cliff Hammonds, who graduated in May, was named to the Dean's List in his final semester as an architecture major, while classmate and fellow graduate Sam Perry was named to the academic honor roll. Long range shooter Terrence Oglesby, and key reserve David Potter also made the list.
The men's soccer program had the highest GPA among the men's teams with a 2.94. That team had 16 student-athletes named to the academic honor roll, including David Bell, who made the President's List.
Clemson had a successful year athletically in women's sports with six of the seven programs competing in NCAA postseason action. Four programs had team GPAs over 3.0. The women's soccer team had a program best 3.34 GPA for the spring semester. That team reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last the fall. It marked the 16th straight semester of at least a 3.0 for the women's soccer program, the seventh in a row at 3.30 or better.
The rowing program had a 3.30 GPA for the spring, giving it a streak of 20 straight semesters with at least a 3.0, including 11 who posted a perfect 4.0. That team had 39 student-athletes on the academic honor roll. In the water, the rowing team's Varsity Eight boat qualified for the NCAA Championships and ranked 12th in the final poll under the direction of first year head coach Richard Ruggieri.
Other women's programs earning a 3.0 or better were the women's swimming team and the women's track team. It was the 18th straight semester of at least a 3.0 for the women's swimming team, and it was the sixth straight 3.0 or better for the women's track program. The women's track program had 27 student-athletes named to the honor roll, the second highest figure in the program's history.
Other prominent student-athletes named to the academic honor roll include Sam Bryfczynski, who was recently named first-team Academic All-District in men's track, and NCAA meet qualifier Patricia Mamona in women's track. Second-team All-ACC volleyball player Leslie Mansfield was named to the President's List. The swimming brother and sister combination of Matt and Julie Balderston both earned perfect 4.0 GPAs in the classroom for the semester.
Team GPA
Baseball 2.72
Men's Basketball 2.60
Women's Basketball 2.33
Football #2.63
Golf 2.65
Rowing 3.30
Men's Soccer 2.94
Women's Soccer 3.34
Men's Swimming and Diving 2.66
Women's Swimming and Diving 3.28
Men's Tennis 2.90
Women's Tennis 2.96
Men's Track and Field 2.69
Women's Track and Field 3.03
Volleyball 2.75
Overall 2.89
#Highest on record for the sport
Student Athletes Named to Academic Honor Roll
(President's List in italics, Dean's List in bold face)
Baseball (12)
William Bond, Chris Epps, Mike Freeman, Craig Gullickson, Doug Hogan, Alex Lee, Clinton McKinney, John Nester, Justin Sarratt, Graham Stoneburner, Josh Thrailkill, Adam Ward
Football (37)
Thomas Austin, Bryan Baker, Spencer Benton, Mark Buchholz, Sadat Chambers, Brandon Clear, Bryon Clear, Mason Cloy, Scotty Cooper, Chad Diehl, Xavier Dye, John Early, Bradley Flowers, Darius Gaither, Michael Hamlin, Brock Henderson, Brian Hill, Jarvis Jenkins, Aaron Kelly, Matthew Knowles, Willy Korn, Shawn Leonard-Horwith, Brian Linthicum, Jimmy Maners, Brandon Maye, Kasey Nobles, Wilson Norris, Jeff Ogren, Cameron O'Sullivan, Tribble Reese, Akeem Robinson, Caleb Simmons, Brandon Speweik, C.J. Spiller, Tyler Stone, Preston Stone, Michael Wade
Golf (3)
McCuen Elmore, Ben Martin, Sam Saunders
Men's Basketball (6)
Zavier Anderson, Jonah Baize, Cliff Hammonds, Terrence Oglesby, Sam Perry, David Potter
Men's Soccer (15)
Michael Antinoro, David Bell, Paulo Bonfim, Eric Cava, Tommy Drake, Greg Eckhardt, David Newton, Richard Nova, Rene Onate, Keegan Priest, Parker Rogers, Scott Rosman, J.D. Spearman, John Tardy, Nathan Thornton
Men's Swimming (13)
Matt Balderston, Andy Bergren, Trey Charlton, Jay Crout, Adam Farnham, Sean Geary, Bryce Herrington, Josef Knecht, Brian Possee, Marco Raye, Thomas Recko, Taylor Thompson, Mark Vahle
Men's Track and Field (16)
Colin Abercrombie, Gwantaveous Anderson, Zach Berg, Matt Bruce, Sam Bryfczynski, Dan Cartica, Michael Feathers, Chad Holt, Kamal Marell, Cowin Mills, Tyler Morey, Miller Moss, Chris Slate, Brian Soder, Chris Spear, Jonathan Sunde
Men's Tennis (5)
Ike Belk, Rok Bizjak, Tino Elgner, Kevin Galloway, Robert Pietrucha
Rowing (39)
Jenn Agee, Andrea Belbusti, Meghan Bendik, Caroline Borgan, Nicole Bowen, Blair Brendle, Amanda Chivers, Allison Colberg, Catie Cornett, Brittany Cummings, Sarah Delap, Callen Erdeky, Erika Fadden, Abbey Fernández, Emily Forney, Corey Geer, Toni Gomes, Victoria Graham, Ryan Greene, Paige Griffith, Mattilyn Hammonds, Lydia Hassell, Ford Heiner, Lizzy Jennings, Anne Johnson, Jessica Leidecker, Teresa McClemon, Melanie McDaniel, Kelly Murphy, Michelle Nance, Caitlin O'Neill, Nicole Rau, Meredith Razzolini, Mitchel Robertson, Brittany Robinson, Elyse Roenick, Jacqueline Spoon, Mairi Trimboli, Suzanne Van Fleet
Volleyball (7)
Laura Boozer, Katie Bridges, Sue Eckman, Meghan Hinemeyer, Leslie Mansfield, Cansu Ozdemir, Jessica Williams
Women's Basketball (1)
Emily Spray
Women's Soccer (17)
Mia Alphonso, Julie Bolt, Tara Cort, Judea Davis, Marcella Elpers, Jennifer Ficklen, Fraser Gerth, Lindsey Jackson, Molly Johnson, Nikki McEachern, Paula Pritzen, Lia Schendel, Danielle Schmitt, Stefanie Schroeder, Meghan Smith, Katie Vogel, Nuria Zufia
Women's Swimming (25)
Kati Aggas, Alexandra Allen, Jill Allen, Julie Balderston, Peg Carter, Ashley Clay, Carmen Groenewoud, Jen Grove, Kelly Hendershot, Rachel Hesler, Dani Kazilionis, Casey Kroll, Allison Lapp, Cassy LaRussa, Eleanor LeClair, Margaret Mizelle, Katrina Obas, Michelle Parkhurst, Sarah Porri, Rachel Regone, Elizabeth Savage, Caitlin Seed, Sarah Smith, Rachel Sparks, Ali Zacker
Women's Track and Field (27)
Jenna Baker, Emily Barlage, Maggie Bernard, Lisa Brown, Linda Buchholz, Stephanie Buffo, Sunday Ford, Lilla Fördõs, Kendra Gauntlett, Michaylin Golladay, Abby Iselborn, Candice Johnson, Caroline Kennedy, Lauren Klas, Rochelle Kokayko, Laura Laughlin, Patricia Mamona, Amy Morrison, Ra'Sheena Parker, Catheryne Porter, April Sinkler, Ashley Vaughn, Bethanie Wachna, Liane Weber, Anastasia Wilson, Jill Yandle, Kristen Zeleznik
Women's Tennis (4)
Estfania Balda, Ina Hadziselimovic, Laurianne Henry, Alexandra Luc
Managers (19)
Scott Berger, Drew Bradshaw, Matt Bradshaw, Dalton Coker, John Michael Coutsos, Riley Cummings, Meredith Flaherty, Will Jameson, Bill Lamont, Joe Matthews, Ford McDonald, Andrew Medvec, Ben Newport, Jim Palmer, Mark Smith, Karen Stratman, April Wade, Rose Waters, DJ Wilhoite
Trainers (8)
West Cox, Jordan Ellenberg, Caleb Gaston, Chris Hopkins, Ryan Sanders, Josh Vaughn, Justin Wingard, Clayton Worthy
