Knights Among C-USA Leaders for Academic Honors

The University of Central Florida’s student-athletes continue to earn top academic honors while excelling on the field.

UCF placed 219 student-athletes on the 2010-11 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, which was announced Tuesday. This is the fifth consecutive year that UCF’s honor roll total leads all C-USA public universities.

Conference-wide, UCF placed second only to Rice, an elite private school, with 220 student-athletes.

Student-athletes selected for the honor roll must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better. Since UCF joined C-USA in 2005, the Knights have averaged 201 academic honor roll selections per year. That total ranks first in the league.

On Wednesday, 34 UCF student-athletes were recognized with the prestigious Conference USA Academic Medal. Medals are awarded to student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or better.

UCF’s rowing team led the way with eight student-athletes earning the academic medal, followed by track & field with six honorees.

This week’s announcements are the latest of several academic honors achieved by UCF’s student-athletes.

The most recent graduation rate released for UCF’s student-athletes surpassed the rate for non-student-athletes. UCF also boasts the best all-sports Academic Progress Rate among all public Conference USA schools and the third-best rate out of the 13 Division I schools in Florida.

On the field, the Knights have won three C-USA championships (football, women’s basketball and women’s indoor track & field). Seven teams have earned national Top 25 rankings (football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, women’s indoor track & field, women’s outdoor track & field and baseball).

For a list of the 34 student-athletes who earned Conference USA Academic Medals, go to http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/041311aab.html.

For a list of all of the UCF student-athletes who were selected to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, go to http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/genrel/041211aai.html.