Spartan Athletes Go For High GPAs

 Continuing their long-standing tradition of academic excellence, USC Upstate student-athletes put forth another record-breaking performance in the classroom. The Spartans, for the third straight term, posted a cumulative, department-wide grade point average greater than 3.30, fashioning a record 3.36 GPA in the fall semester. Two hundred and three Spartans maintained a GPA greater than 3.5, with 74 student-athletes posting a perfect 4.0 GPA.
 
“I am really proud of our student-athletes’ efforts in the classroom this semester! They continue to raise the bar each year with yet another record-breaking semester! They truly exemplify what it means to be a student-athlete at Upstate, and I look forward to seeing how they build on their achievements going into the Spring semester,” said Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator, Sarah Gildersleeve Jones.
 
4.0 Student-Athletes (Fall 2025)
Baseball: Gage Griggs, Max Kaplan, Tyler Lang, Jack Morris, Alex Ritzer, Spencer Warfield
Men’s Basketball: TJ Lewis
Men’s Cross Country: Landen Barron, Cameron Moors, Eric Perry
Men’s Golf: Herman Holst, Caden Sanders, Tyler Taber, Ross Wright
Men’s Soccer: Harold Carranza, Logan Grasso, Xibbe Willem van Hattem, Ollie West, Josh Zawlocki
Men’s Track & Field: Andrew Bilderback, Clay Davis, Sam Ketch
Women’s Basketball: Emma Blair, Ylenia Expósito Pérez, Cassie Gallagher, Aubrie Kierscht, Zoe Richardson
Women’s Cross Country: Grace Glassmeyer, Izzy Miserendino, Sophia Outhous, Gaby Sanchez, Sofia Strom
Women’s Soccer: Raegan Bell, Catarina Dantas, Maylie Diaz, Aly Hoover, Ella Jahromi, Natalia Moll, Savannah Noll, Adrianna Pepe, Emily Rangel, Maddie Smith
Softball: Mackenzei Bernal-Mahagan, Alyssa Davenport, Anna Dickinson, Maddie Drerup, Laney Jennings, Sophia Kardatzke, Abby Polk, Chloe Poteete, Carson Shaw, Cariana Shaw, Renske Tellekamp, Marjee Williams
Women’s Track & Field: Dannielle Brown, Nia Glover, Jamyllah Handy, Laurin Hannibal, Ayla Osterkamp
Volleyball: Emma DeSensi, Cora Hamilton, Alyssa Hook, Ady O’Grady, Sophia Overholt, Savannah Page
Cheerleading: Shakira Graham
Dance: Kaleis Gibson
Men’s Soccer Development Team: Bennett Blackburn, Qingcheng Du, Ibrahim Khawaja, Chadwick Redwine, Matthew Wendt
Women’s Soccer Development Team: Dakota Brown, Elena Nigro
 
“It seems every semester our student-athletes set another new GPA record, and here we are yet again!  The determination and grit they demonstrate to continue elevating their game both academically and athletically is truly extraordinary, and we are so proud of them,” said Director of Athletics Matt Martin. “A huge shout-out goes to our coaches for their commitment in fostering a culture of academic excellence, as well as our academic support team, led by Sarah Gildersleeve-Jones, Natalie Sweeney, and Dr. Susannah Waldrop, for all they do to prepare our student-athletes for success.”
 
Fifteen Upstate athletic programs maintained a team or squad GPA greater than 3.0, a program record mark. Softball set the department’s high-water mark with a 3.81 GPA while men’s golf (3.74), women’s basketball (3.65), women’s cross country (3.64), and volleyball (3.62) rounded out the remainder of the top five.
 
Team GPAs of 3.0 or higher
Softball – 3.81
Men’s Golf – 3.74
Women’s Basketball – 3.65
Women’s Cross Country – 3.64
Volleyball – 3.62
Women’s Soccer – 3.58
Baseball – 3.58
Women’s Track & Field – 3.41
Women’s Soccer Development Team – 3.33
Men’s Soccer – 3.24
Men’s Cross Country – 3.14
Men’s Soccer Development Team – 3.13
Men’s Track & Field – 3.10
Cheerleading – 3.07
Women’s Golf – 3.05
 
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