Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Garner MAC Academic Award Again
Aug. 22, 2003
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Central Michigan University athletics capped an incredibly successful year by winning the Mid-American Conference Institutional Academic Achievement Award.
It marked the sixth time in seven years the MAC's top academic award has gone to CMU. A total of 383 Chippewa student-athletes had a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.10.
The honor is presented to the MAC member that has the highest overall institutional GPA for student-athletes competing in MAC-sponsored sports.
This award comes on the heels of CMU winning a school-record six MAC team championships in 2002-03 -- titles coming in men's cross country, field hockey, men's basketball, gymnastics,wrestling and men's outdoor track.
"It's a tremendous statement that our program not only produced six MAC team champions but also had outstanding performances in the classroom," said CMU Director of Athletics Herb Deromedi.
Pat Podoll, an assistant athletic director in charge of academics, takes great pride in the academic achievement of the student-athletes.
"I'm most proud of the attitude of our student-athletes to do their best in the academic end of things," Podoll said. "It also shows the emphasis that the coaches put on academics."
CMU shared the award in 1996-97 and won it alone the next three years before Bowling Green ended the run in 2000-01. The Chippewas have now won two in a row.