Tuesday, September 01, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. - The Golf Coaches Association of America announced Tuesday that the ETSU men's golf team has been named the nation’s Division I Academic National Champion. Belmont joined ETSU as two of seven Division I programs to achieve President’s Special Recognition status

The Buccaneers posted not only the top GPA among Division I programs, but the highest team average of any school in any division. In the first year of the award, a total of 82 teams submitted GPAs of 3.00 or higher and earned All-Academic Team recognition.

“I am so delighted for our team to receive the inaugural Academic National Champion Award from the GCAA for the highest team GPA in Division I men’s golf,” said East Tennessee State head coach Fred Warren. “Our players take their classwork seriously, and certainly exemplify the “student” part of being an NCAA student-athlete. I am proud of our young men not only for their hard work and dedication to their academic responsibilities, but also for their time-management skills. This award means a lot to our team, and we are honored to be this year’s recipient.”

Belmont, Detroit Mercy, East Carolina, ETSU, Georgia Tech, Gustavus Adolphus, Ohio Dominican, Rice, SCAD, Seton Hall and St. Mary’s (Texas) were also accorded President’s Special Recognition status for earning team GPAs of 3.50 or better. The Bruins were named a GCAA All-Academic Team after posting a team GPA of 3.517 for the 2008-2009 school year. This is the first time that Belmont has received this honor.

“I am very pleased that our program has been honored of having one of the top team GPAs in the nation by the GCAA ,” said Scott Flynn, Belmont head coach. “Our student-athletes put a lot of hard work into their studies and this honor certainly recognizes the high level of their classroom work.”

“I want to congratulate the student-athletes from ETSU for winning the Golf Coaches Association of America GPA National Championship and from Belmont on earning the President’s Special Recognition Award,” Atlantic Sun Commissioner Ted Gumbart said. “To have two Atlantic Sun golf programs recognized among the top seven in the country, fully embodies our balance between athletic achievement and academic achievement as we continue in Building Winners for Life.”

To be eligible for GCAA All-Academic Team honors a college of university must submit the grade points earned and hours attempted for each player on its official squad list for the academic year.