The Big Sky Conference has named the University of Idaho Vandals as one of the top academically achieving teams for the 2023-24 academic year. The Vandals tied with Weber State for the conference lead with four teams earning the title of Team Academic Champions. Men’s cross country led the Vandals with a team GPA of 3.80, followed by men’s golf at 3.68, women’s basketball at 3.63, and men’s track and field at 3.61.
Terry Gawlik, the Director of Athletics at the University of Idaho, expressed pride in the academic success of the student-athletes, highlighting the difficulty of balancing sports and academics at the Division I level. The titles were based on the combined team GPA for the entire 2022-23 academic calendar, not just the season they competed in, with indoor and outdoor track & field combined for the purposes of the titles.
Commissioner Tom Wistrcill commended the teams for their teamwork and academic achievements, noting that strong teamwork is key to success both on and off the playing field. The Big Sky Conference Team Academic Champions for 2023-24 spanned a variety of sports, including basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.
The recognition of the University of Idaho Vandals and other top academic teams across the conference highlights the dedication and hard work of student-athletes in achieving academic excellence alongside their athletic performances.
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Photo credit govandals.com