UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State student-athletes registered another record-breaking semester by posting a 3.28 term grade-point average (GPA) in the 2023 spring semester. The Nittany Lions set a spring record (non-alternative grading) with 571 students (72%) with a 3.0 semester GPA. In addition, 267 students earned Dean's List honors (3.5 semester GPA) with a record-breaking 100 students (12.6%) registering a 4.0 semester with 13 carrying a 4.0 cumulative GPA.
"Our student-athletes continue to impress me with their unbelievable performance in the classroom with a combined 3.28 semester GPA," said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. "For 100 of our student-athletes to have a perfect 40 GPA in the spring semester is incredible. Our student-athletes work tirelessly in the classroom and in competition, and the results show."
2023 Spring Semester Notable Numbers:
3.28 semester grade-point average
3.31 cumulative GPA
571 student-athletes with 3.0 semester GPA (spring record)
100 student-athletes with a 4.0 semester GPA (spring and overall record)
267 student-athletes on Dean's List (3.5 GPA)
29 teams (of 31 total) with a 3.0 GPA or higher
Women's Lacrosse Posts Highest Team GPA
The women's lacrosse team recorded the highest team GPA among Penn State's 31 programs during the spring with a 3.68 GPA, followed by the women's swimming & diving (3.65), women's tennis (3.63), women's soccer (3.53) and women's gymnastics (3.59). Men's golf had the highest GPA among the men's programs with a 3.44.
Student-Athletes With 3.0 GPA or higher; Spring semester, 2019-23
Spring 2023 – 571 (spring record)
Spring 2022 – 546
Spring 2021 – 682*
Spring 2020 – 694*
Spring 2019 – 505
* - alternative grading used due to COVID-19 pandemic
Student-Athletes earning Dean's List honors; Spring semester, 2019-23
(3.5 GPA or higher; minimum 12 credits)
Spring 2023 – 267
Spring 2022 – 284 (spring record)
Spring 2021 – 299*
Spring 2020 – 426*
Spring 2019 – 245
* - alternative grading used due to COVID-19 pandemic
Penn State Among the Nation's Premier Athletic Programs in Comprehensive Excellence
Under the leadership of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft, Penn State has one of the nation's most comprehensive and successful athletic programs, featuring 800 student-athletes across 31 varsity programs (16 men's, 15 women's). The Nittany Lions' 31 programs are tied for the fourth-highest number of sports sponsored by a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institution.
Penn State student-athletes continue to register record-breaking graduation rates and perform well above their peers nationwide. The Nittany Lions posted a record-tying 92% NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and 10 programs earned perfect 100% ratings. This is the sixth consecutive year the Nittany Lions have posted a record or record-tying performance in the classroom, according to data reported by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Penn State is one of only five schools that have won at least 10 NCAA Championships since 2013 and earned at least a 90 percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in the 2022 NCAA report (Stanford, Florida, USC, Virginia).
