Penn State Altoona’s student-athletes had plenty of impressive performances in the realm of sports during the 2016-17 season, but they had equally strong showings in the classroom. As a group, Penn State Altoona student-athletes posted a combined 3.072 grade point average during this past academic year.
AMCC Academic All-Conference Team
When the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference released its annual Academic All-Conference Team in April, it included eighty-five Penn State Altoona student-athletes. The AMCC’s Academic All-Conference Team recognizes academic excellence by individual student-athletes from the conference’s ten full-time member institutions. To earn a spot on the team, AMCC student-athletes must have had a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher through the fall 2016 semester. Across the AMCC, a total of 895 student-athletes satisfied the GPA standard to be included on the Academic All-Conference Team.
Out of Penn State Altoona’s eighty-five student-athletes named to the team, fifty-two of them earned Individual Peak Performer status. That recognition is awarded for having a GPA of 3.5 or higher through the fall semester.
Team Peak Performer Awards
Also in April, the AMCC announced its 2016-17 Team Peak Performer awards for academic excellence by teams. The AMCC’s Peak Performer Awards were established prior to the 2011-12 season to recognize outstanding academic achievement by one team in each conference-sponsored sport. The award is given to the team with the highest cumulative GPA in its respective sport during the past academic year.
Three Penn State Altoona varsity sports teams were recognized as being Peak Performers: men’s swimming, women’s swimming, and men’s tennis. Penn State Altoona’s total of three Peak Performer teams was tied for the second-highest number of any school in the conference this academic year.
This marks the fifth time that the Penn State Altoona men’s swimming program has won an AMCC Peak Performer award, and it is the fourth time that the women’s swimming program has garnered the recognition. Men’s tennis’ Peak Performer award is the program’s first such honor.
Men’s swimming compiled a 3.013 GPA, women’s swimming posted a 3.448 GPA, and men’s tennis had a 3.290 GPA.
Chi Alpha Sigma Inductees
At the end of each academic year, Penn State Altoona Athletics recognizes student-athletes who qualify for induction into the Pennsylvania Zeta chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Student-Athlete Honor Society.
To be a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the student-athlete must be a junior or senior of academic standing, carry a minimum 3.4 cumulative GPA, and have lettered in a varsity sport at least one year. Inductees must also be of good moral character and be recommended for induction.
The 2016-17 Penn State Altoona inductees into Chi Alpha Sigma are:
- Alexis Franks, women’s swimming
- Asia James, women’s bowling
- Sherry Moore, women’s soccer
- Lauren O’Donnell, softball
- Jim Shomberg, baseball