LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky Athletics department has once again achieved an impressive academic milestone, surpassing its goal of a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average for 23 consecutive semesters. In the fall of 2023, Wildcat scholarship student-athletes achieved a GPA of 3.336, while the overall UK Athletics GPA for all sports reached 3.335.
This marks the second-highest GPA for a semester in the history of UK Athletics, just shy of the record set in the spring of 2020. The GPA of 3.534 achieved in the spring of 2020, which was aided by the pass/fail policy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, exceeded the previous record set in spring 2014.
UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart expressed his congratulations to the student-athletes for their hard work and acknowledged the guidance and support provided by the coaches and academic support staff.
Leading the department in academic success was the women’s golf team, setting the benchmark with a fall GPA of 3.860 in both categories. The women’s cross country team followed closely behind with a GPA of 3.795 among competing student-athletes, while women’s soccer secured second place in the category of competing scholarship and non-scholarship athletes with a GPA of 3.794. Among the male teams, men’s cross country led with a GPA of 3.54 for competing scholarship athletes and 3.714 for competing scholarship and non-scholarship athletes.
Individual achievements were also noteworthy, with a total of 449 Wildcats earning a GPA of 3.0 or higher, including 140 students who achieved a perfect 4.0 for the semester.
These outstanding academic achievements add to the long list of successes from UK Athletics. The department had a total of 168 graduates in the 2023 calendar year alone, marking another milestone in academic success. UK tied the school record for its NCAA Graduation Success Rate of 92 percent, surpassing the national average of 91 percent. Additionally, all UK teams exceeded the mandatory score for the NCAA Academic Progress Rate, with an overall APR rate higher than the national average.
In August, UK Athletics celebrated a school-record 12 Academic All-Americans for the 2022-23 school year, further highlighting the department’s commitment to academic excellence.
The academic success of student-athletes is supported by CATS, the first academic center dedicated solely to serving student-athletes. CATS is part of UK’s Student-Athlete Experience division, which is focused on preparing students for life after UK.
Overall, the academic achievements of the University of Kentucky Athletics department demonstrate the dedication and hard work of the student-athletes and the commitment of the university to their success both on and off the field.
