The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s and women’s track & field teams finished first and second in the nation, respectively, for team GPA, the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) recently announced. It is the second year in a row the men’s program has led the nation in the classroom.
“I am very proud of their work ethic of our student-athletes, both on the track and in the classroom,” UTC Head Coach Bill Gautier said.
“We stress academics in recruiting we want them for both their athletic academic abilities.”
The Mocs posted a 3.59 team grade point average followed by Louisville with a 3.55 team GPA. The Chattanooga women’s team was second in the nation, up from 10th last year, behind Lipscomb (3.74) with a 3.73 team GPA.
Austin Casassa (Nashville, Tenn.), John Gilpin (Nashville, Tenn.), Patrick O’Brien (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Tosin Ayotunde (Ooltewah, Tenn.) each posted a 4.0 for the year with six others hitting the mark in at least one semester. Fourteen Mocs were named to the UTC Dean’s List with 16 making the Athletics Director’s Honor Roll.
“I recruit the student-athlete who is strong mentally,” Gautier said. “They have had a tough year and were still able to maintain a high level of achievement, academically.”
On the women’s side, Joanna Elmore (Clarksville, Tenn.), Helenka Kis (Columbia, Tenn.) and Maddison Melchionna (Afton, Tenn.) each recorded a 4.0 GPA with seven more earning a 4.0 in at least one semester. Seventeen Mocs were named to both the UTC Dean’s List and Athletics Director’s Honor Roll.
This is the second time that both track and field team have been ranked in the Top 10 in the same year.
The men were the top ranked team last year and the women were 10th.
“Rhonda Reynolds and the Academic Support staff are great with the student-athletes,” Gautier said. “Our kids take great pride in getting to compete with some of the top schools in the nation.”
Also ranked among the Top Five on the men’s side were Tulsa (3.48), Harvard (3.46) and Lipscomb (3.41) while Indiana (3.67), Portland (3.62) and Bradley (3.61) rounded out the women’s Top Five.