UK Athletics’ GPA streak reaches 20 semesters

In 2008, University of Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart established an academic target the Wildcats had never reached – a composite 3.0 grade-point average for the students of UK Athletics.

It took four years to accomplish, as UK – at the time numbering approximately 500 student-athletes – scaled the peak by posting a department-wide GPA of 3.03 in the fall semester of 2012.

Now, with grades for the 2022 spring semester finalized, UK Athletics has surpassed its goal of a 3.0 composite GPA for 20 straight semesters, as Wildcat scholarship student-athletes combined to achieve a GPA of 3.284 this spring.

“Ten years of 3.0 GPAs for our department is a remarkable achievement,” Barnhart said in a press release. “It’s a testament to the hard work and persistence of all those involved in the academic process – primarily, of course, our student-athletes, and also to the CATS (Center for Academic and Tutorial Services) staff for their guidance, support and encouragement, along with the emphasis our coaches place on academic success.

“In many ways, the last two years have brought challenges to college athletics that have never been seen. The many issues we face have not deterred us from our core mission, to educate young people and to earn victories in the arenas of competition.”

The women’s swimming and diving team led the department with a spring GPA of 3.765 among scholarship student-athletes. The golf team led the way for UK men’s sports, posting a GPA of 3.617 among scholarship players.

Individually, 430 Wildcats achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher, including 121 Cats who reached 4.0 for the semester.

You can see the full 2022 GPA results below.