Academic accomplishments
Athletes soar to 3.11 GPA in spring semester
Binghamton student-athletes completed a record-setting year in the classroom with a stellar spring semester. The University’s 398 student-athletes produced a 3.11 GPA in the spring. It marked the 17th consecutive semester the department has surpassed the 3.0 plateau and the fourth straight term that BU student-athletes have eclipsed the 3.1 threshold.
During the full 2013-14 academic year (fall and spring), BU student-athletes achieved a 3.13 GPA – the highest mark during Binghamton’s 13-year Division I tenure. The department has registered a 3.10 or higher GPA for six consecutive years.
The women’s cross country team, which captured the department’s Academic Cup with a historical-best 3.69 GPA, led 14 teams that came in above the 3.0 level. Nearly two-thirds of the entire student-athlete body (283, 66%) notched a 3.0 and nearly half (206, 48%) eclipsed the 3.3 mark.
“We’re very proud of the academic success of our student-athletes, especially the tremendous results achieved this spring,” Director of Athletics Patrick Elliott said. “We continue to raise the bar in the academic arena, and the steadfast commitment and performance of our student-athletes is truly remarkable.”
Six student-athletes named America East Presidential Scholars
The America East Conference has announced its inaugural Presidential Scholar-Athlete class and six graduating Binghamton student-athletes have been named to the list. Selected from BU are Ben Nicholson (men’s soccer), Mikala King(softball), Emma Kurth (women’s soccer),Conor O’Brien (women’s soccer), Kathleeen Klein (track & field) and Florian van Kann(men’s tennis).
In addition to registering a 3.75 GPA for their college career, honored student-athletes must have received their undergraduate degree in the academic year they are honored and have attended their institution for a minimum of two years.
Kurth and van Kann have been named to the America East All-Academic Team in their sport the past two seasons. Nicholson, O’Brien and Klein was tabbed this year while King was selected following her junior season.
Klein and van Kann were also named all-conference during the recent spring season.
BU leads America East in spring academic honors
Binghamton produced the most high-achieving student-athletes in the America East during the spring semester. The conference released its Honor Roll (3.0+ GPA) and Commissioner’s Honor Roll (3.5+) Thursday afternoon and Binghamton led both lists.
A total of 172 BU spring athletes were named to the America East Honor Roll, ahead of runnerup UMBC (164), Stony Brook (158), Vermont (153) and Albany (150) in the top-five. The Bearcats also had the most individuals on the elite Commissioner’s Honor Roll with 86. More than 62 percent of Binghamton’s spring-semester athletes surpassed a 3.0 during their seasons. Overall, BU student-athletes achieved a 3.11 GPA in the spring – the 17th straight semester above the 3.0 mark.
Eleven members of the championship men’s tennis team were honored – the highest total of any tennis program in the America East. The title-winning baseball team put 15 members on the Honor Roll. Binghamton’s softball team had a conference-best 16 players on the list.
The America East as a whole showed off its academic stature with some staggering percentages. More than 50 percent of all student-athletes in the conference achieved a 3.5 or higher grade-point average and more than 61 percent reached the 3.0 threshold.
Back on campus, BU announced its AD Honor Roll recipients (3.3+) for the spring and that group totaled 183 student-athletes spanning 18 teams. The women’s soccer team led the way with 17 members. The women’s cross country team, which captured the department’s semester Academic Cup with a lofty 3.69 GPA, had 10 members on the AD Honor Roll.
Men’s tennis produces fourth-most scholar-athletes in entire country
Binghamton men’s tennis earned ITA All-Academic Team distinction and had eight players named Scholar-Athletes for 2014. Only three other teams across the country produced more individual recipients than the Bearcats.
In addition to team honors, the following BU letterwinners were recognized for achieving a 3.5 or higher grade-point average: freshmanAlex Sacher, sophomore Alexander Maisin, freshman Doug Notaris, sophomore Eliott Hureau, senior Florian van Kann, senior Harry Lee, junior Robin Lesage and senior Ruben Haggai.
In the last five years, BU has produced 34 ITA Scholar-Athletes. The only schools with more individual honorees in 2013-14 were Yale (12), Bucknell (10) and St. Louis (9).
During its championship season in the spring, head coach Adam Cohen‘s team posted a 3.32 GPA.
In 2013-14, the Bearcats were ranked No. 10 in the Northeast and captured the program’s seventh straight America East championship. The title was the program’s 10th in 13 years of America East membership.
The Bearcats will return four starting singles players as they make their debut in the Mid-American Conference in 2014-15.
Baseball, tennis players represent their sports as top America East scholars
Two of Binghamton’s elite spring student-athletes have been honored by the America East, the conference announced Wednesday afternoon. Junior tennis player Robin Lesage and junior baseball player Jake Thomaswere voted as the lone Scholar-Athletes representing their respective sports. After each player helped led his team to a conference crown in 2014, the pair now become BU’s 34th and 35th recipients during the school’s 13-year America East tenure. It’s the fourth straight year that multiple Binghamton student-athletes have earned the high honor.
Lesage carries a 3.92 grade-point average in management/marketing. He was a first-team all-conference singles player who helped BU win its seventh consecutive America East championship this past April. Lesage is the seventh BU men’s tennis player to earn the top academic honor in the conference.
Thomas holds a 3.53 GPA in management. He was a first team all-conference and second team all-region selection after helping the Bearcats capture their second straight America East baseball title and third in six years. Thomas is the third BU baseball player to be selected.