Congrats to USF's women's cross-country team, which posted the highest team grade-point average out of 325 Division I schools last season, according to the U.S. Track and Field Cross-Country Coaches Association.
The Bulls earned a team GPA of 3.78, which edged Belmont (3.77) for the highest in Division I. Setting the pace for USF with 4.0 GPAs were five runners: Lisa Giblin, Kaley Matthews (Largo), Maressa Pinzini, Emily Wakley and Rebecca Zuhlke.
"To have earned the No. 1 GPA in the United States is a great honor for our women's cross country program, the athletic department and the University of South Florida," USF coach Warren Bye said in a statement. "We take great pride in our academics. I am very proud of the work these young women have done in the classroom."
Other state programs whose women's cross-country teams were honored for team GPAs of 3.0 or higher were Florida (3.44), Florida State (3.29), Central Florida (3.25) and Florida International (3.07); Florida (3.23)was the only state school to have its men's team recognized.
In Division II, the University of Tampa's women's cross-country team ranked fifth with a 3.73 GPA; UT's men's team ranked eighth with a 3.48.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
uss-tuff-kah-kah
That would be my acronym.
Posted by: Mike Lakeland | March 14, 2008 at 09:47 AM
One of those things where technically, an acronym is supposed to be sounded as a word and not spelled out; NATO and AIDS and scuba and sonar are acronyms, not AFL-CIO or ESPN. You hear acronym used for any collection of letters a lot these days.
(If you're sounding out USTFCCCA as a word, you could call it an acronym. I'd make the third "c" a silent one.)
Posted by: G.A. | March 14, 2008 at 09:37 AM
"I'll admit, I'm responding as much because I like typing USTFCCCA, easily the bulkiest abbreviation on earth." Greg Auman
Isn't USTFCCCA an acronym rather than an abbreviation?
Posted by: Al | March 14, 2008 at 07:16 AM
It's a lot better when you use the abbreviation GPA.
Posted by: Ken | March 13, 2008 at 08:44 PM
So if I have this right, the UCF argument has devolved to "Our men's cross-country team has a higher grade-point average." That looks solid on a T-shirt.
Posted by: G.A. | March 13, 2008 at 04:37 PM
Bulkiest abbreviation? Maybe.
But no where near as cool as ADAA:
The American Dogdeball Association of America
Posted by: Mike Lakeland | March 13, 2008 at 03:27 PM
The Knights men are better than the Bulls.
Posted by: knightsrulebullssuck | March 13, 2008 at 02:44 PM
USF's men didn't have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, so they weren't among the schools listed by the USTFCCCA.
I'll admit, I'm responding as much because I like typing USTFCCCA, easily the bulkiest abbreviation on earth.
Posted by: G.A. | March 13, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Where did USF men's team place?
Posted by: Mike Lakeland | March 13, 2008 at 11:20 AM
I've had a few classes with Emily Wakley. Very intelligent and hard-working.
It is good that some of our athletic programs understand that classes are most important.
Posted by: Dave W | March 13, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Very impressed by USF women.
Cross Country GPAs were higher at Bucknell back in my day, 20 years ago. I remember my 3.2 pulling the average down on a team ranked nationally in top 25.
Posted by: Norb | March 13, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Norb, looks as though Bucknell's teams did not get a 3.0 GPA and as a result did not make the USTFCCCA honor roll.
Posted by: G.A. | March 13, 2008 at 09:12 AM
Where is Bucknell on that list?
Posted by: Norb | March 13, 2008 at 08:57 AM
That is awesome. X-Country women are smarter!
Posted by: DELdaBULL | March 13, 2008 at 07:27 AM
I have the list, but it's an XLS file. Who are you curious about?
Posted by: G.A. | March 12, 2008 at 11:02 PM
Greg:
Is there a link to the full list?
Posted by: Norb | March 12, 2008 at 09:34 PM