CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.—For the second time in school history, Austin Peay State University has been awarded the Ohio Valley Conference Institutional Academic Achievement Award.
In one of the closest competitions ever, Austin Peay edged Morehead State for the 2008-09 honor, ending Morehead's four-year winning streak. The award is presented annually to the member institution with the greatest percentage of its student-athletes named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll for that academic year. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (in its first year of eligibility for the honors) was third followed by Eastern Illinois.
This is the 23rd year for the award. Austin Peay first claimed the honored in 2002-03.
“I am amazed by what these student-athletes are doing,” APSU Athletics Director Dave Loos said. “I am extremely proud of what they have accomplished.
“A large amount of the credit obviously has to go to the student-athletes. But I also have to credit (academic coordinator) Josh Sampson and his staff along with our coaches—they are the ones sending the message that academics is what this is all about. “
The league also announced the recipients of 16 OVC Team Academic Achievement Awards, which are presented annually in each conference-sponsored sport to respective member institution's team with the greatest percentage of its student-athletes named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll. Austin Peay claimed an OVC-best six team awards (two more than any other school)—women's cross country, football, men's golf, women's golf, men's tennis and tying with Morehead State in men's basketball.
"This Conference takes great pride in the success of its student-athletes, not only on the playing field, but more importantly, in the classroom," stated OVC Interim Commissioner Brad Walker. "The Academic Achievement Awards are a very visible reminder of the values of the Ohio Valley Conference. Austin Peay State University deserves to be proud of this significant accomplishment by its student-athletes, as do the institutions who received team awards.
Furthermore, all of our member institutions are to be commended for the academic achievement of their student-athletes."
Academically, it has been a record-setting year for Austin Peay athletics. Back in the fall, APSU recorded its highest grade-point average (3.012) since those records have been kept and followed it up with a 2.997 GPA this spring. It was the third straight semester APSU athletics recorded a 2.9 GPA or better.
All told 155 student-athletes were named to the Spring 2009 Athletics Director's Honor Roll, or 53.6 percent of the department's 289 student-athletes.
More impressive are the department's program-record 27 student-athletes who finished the Spring 2009 semester with a perfect 4.0 GPA, earning President's List recognition. They were part of 90 student-athletes who received Dean's List honors.
“The body of work by our student-athletes, having recorded the two highest GPAs on record and the fact approximately 54 percent of our student-athletes were on the Athletics Director's Honor Roll this past semester, it is just one amazing statistic after another,” Loos said. “I am really excited about what they are accomplishing.”
-AP-
