Rebels Achieve Academic Milestones This Fall

Soccer Led The Way With A 3.68 GPA

Photo courtesy of Robert Jordan / Ole Miss Communications

OXFORD, Miss. – Football is bowl bound again, and the women’s soccer team enjoyed a history-making season this fall.  Off the fields and courts, the Rebels also achieved record success in the classroom.

Student-athletes recorded the highest overall grade point average (2.91) in more than 10 years and moved closer to the athletic department’s goal of a 3.0 GPA. More than half (201) of the student-athlete population made the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (3.0 or higher), with 99 on the Dean’s Honor Roll (3.57 or higher) and 61 on the Chancellor’s Honor Roll (3.75 or higher).  Twenty-six student-athletes boasted a perfect 4.0 GPA.  In addition, eight student-athletes earned their degrees this month.

“We moved closer to our goal of a total student-athlete body team 3.0 GPA,” said senior associate athletics director Derek Cowherd.  “We are proud of so many students who achieved their personal bests and teams that made a commitment to achieve academic success. The FedEx Academic Staff, the coaches and the students worked together and posted a record year in many areas.”

In addition to a school-record 16 wins, an NCAA Tournament second round appearance and hosting an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in school history, the women’s soccer team posted the highest GPA among all teams in the last decade with a 3.68. All team members have a resident GPA of 3.0 or higher.   Rafaelle Souza was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Football had its best semester since spring 2011, led by graduate students Tyler Campbell and Andrew Ritter, who each posted a 4.0.  Pierce Burton and Jordan Holder are among the eight student-athlete December graduates.

Golf led all men’s sports with a 3.43 GPA, their highest in more than a decade.   Forrest Gamble and Jacob Ross led the way with a 4.0.  Men’s tennis posted a 3.27 GPA led by 4.0s from senior Johan Backstrom and junior William Kallberg.

Women’s tennis had another outstanding semester with a 3.58 GPA, led by senior Caroline Rohde-Moe’s 4.0.

Baseball posted a 3.13 GPA and had a record number of players (28) on the honor roll, including Will Allen with a 4.0.

Men’s basketball and softball (3.15) posted their highest team GPAs in over 10 years, and women’s track concluded the fall with its best GPA (3.00) since spring 2011.  Women’s basketball had three on the honor roll including senior Valencia McFarland.  Rifle placed six on the honor roll, including freshman Ali Weisz with a 3.86. Women’s golf recorded a 3.19 GPA, led by a 4.0 from Stani Schiavone.

— Kim Ling, Ole Miss Media Relations