Longwood Athletics: Lancers reach new heights with record-best GPA

On the field and court, it was already the greatest year in Longwood athletics history. Now, it’s also officially the best-ever in the classroom.

On top of a record haul of championships, honors and accolades for their athletic exploits, Lancer student-athletes posted a 3.21 cumulative GPA for the 2021-22 academic year – the highest since the department began tracking data in 2008 as Longwood moved to Division I.

The senior class saw 10 student-athletes graduate summa cum laude (3.75-4.00 GPA), five magna cum laude (3.55-3.74 GPA) and six cum laude (3.35-3.54 GPA). Department wide, 70 student-athletes made the Dean’s List (3.50-3.99 GPA) and 26 more made the President’s List (4.00 GPA) in the spring.

Longwood’s athletic success the last few years has been unprecedented – including this past year’s Big South titles for men’s and women’s basketball, and regular-season title for Softball. But none of that has come at the expense of a true student-athlete experience. In fact, classroom success is only growing.

A record-breaking 13 teams achieved a GPA above 3.00, up from 11 that did so last spring. Men’s tennis led the men’s teams in both the fall and spring, with a 3.86 GPA in the fall and a 3.80 in the spring. Softball led the women’s teams with a 3.52 GPA in the fall while women’s soccer posted a 3.41 GPA this spring.

Department-wide, the teams posted a 3.18 cumulative GPA in the fall before notching a GPA of 3.25 in the spring.

“Our student-athletes have excelled both athletically and academically this year,” said Hannah Ledger, Longwood’s Assistant Athletics Director for Academic Services. “It is incredible to see the drive that they have to be successful. Lancer fans everywhere should be proud to support these young men and women. I know I’m lucky to get to work with them every day.”

Lancer student-athletes have now achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for 11 straight semesters. Plus, the yearly total marks the department’s eighth straight academic year with a 3.00 or better.

The women’s teams combined to finish with a 3.27 GPA, and the men’s teams combined for a 3.15 GPA, marking the sixth straight semester the Lancers have achieved above a 3.00. Several teams also extended long-running streaks of 3.00 semester GPAs, with both men’s golf and women’s soccer running theirs to 27 straight semesters. Field hockey also ran its streak to 16 straight semesters, and softball has now done it for 11 straight semesters.

Men’s basketball achieved a 3.00 GPA for the academic year, the third straight year above the mark, and women’s basketball also was above a 3.00 GPA as well for the third time in four seasons.

“I could not be more proud of our student-athletes, coaches and our support staff in raising the bar once again when it comes to academic success,” said Athletics Director Michelle Meadows. “This achievement, along with the historic success athletically this season and the way our student-athletes serve as exemplary ambassadors for Longwood, is a testament to our goal of developing citizen leaders and champions for life. I want to thank Hannah Ledger, our coaches and our support staff for their leadership day in and day out that have led to this remarkable success.”