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Yuma, Arizona –  Arizona Western College announced that the student-athletes in AWC’s 7 sports have collectively achieved a 2.90 grade point average for the 2006 fall semester-exceeding last year’s AWC Athletics fall GPA by .04 of a point.  

In addition, 24 of the 184 athletes on campus earned the distinction of being named to the fall Dean’s List.  The announcement comes less than two weeks before students return for spring semester classes at AWC.

Heading the list for Matador Athletics was the Lady Matadors’ Volleyball team, who-under the direction of first-year head coach Jason Smith-achieved a stellar 3.248 collective grade point average among their 10 student-athletes.  4 volleyball players made the Dean’s List, 2 had perfect 4.0 GPAs, and one volleyball players completed a whopping 21 hours’ credit with a GPA over 3.85 while still starring for the 7-time defending Region I Champion team.  Right behind the volleyball team was the Lady Matadors’ basketball team, who collectively reached a 3.038 GPA.  1 player reached the 4.0 GPA plateau, and 6 of the 14 had grade point averages at 3.0 or higher.  Making the largest positive jump in the last year was the AWC Soccer team, who raised their collective GPA by almost a full point from last fall, landing at an even 3.0 collective GPA this fall.  Out of their 22 student-athletes, 2 achieved a perfect 4.0, and 13 had GPAs of 3.0 or above.  Just missing the collective 3.0 plateau were the two spring sports, but both reached stellar marks.  The AWC Softball team achieved a very strong 2.933 grade point average, and remained one of the top academic athletic programs perennially.  8 out of Pam Stone’s 19 student-athletes were at 3.0 or higher, one reached a perfect 4.0, and several softball players excelled while taking between 20 and 24 credit hours.  Just .001 behind their softball counterparts was the AWC Baseball team, whose 2.932 collective GPA was highlighted by two 4.0 GPAs, and half of the 24 baseball student-athletes were at least 3.0 or higher.  Next in line was the AWC Men’s Basketball team, who sent 1 player to the Dean’s List while compiling a 2.619 collective GPA, and they were followed by the AWC Football team, who placed 7 on the Dean’s List, and finished the fall semester with a collective 2.526 GPA.

In all, the women’s sports had a whopping 3.073 GPA, while the men’s athletic programs achieved a 2.769 GPA, and both marks exceeded last year’s fall totals.  “We’ve done so well on the playing fields this past year, but these achievements truly exceed those, and always will,” remarked AWC Athletic Director Jerry Smith.  “We’ve really made a concerted effort this year as an athletic department and as a faculty to make sure we keep our kids focused, and these marks really showcase what hard work and concentration can do.  Of course, the main credit has to go to the student-athletes, who have dedicated themselves to greatness both in the classroom and on the playing surface.  I’m so proud of be part of an institution for giving our student-athletes the best chance they can possibly have to be successful.”