Over the years Tyler Junior College’s Athletics Department has been determined to keep the word “student” first in student-athlete, and in this school year they have succeeded.
With an average of 2.798, TJC saw its highest grade point average in seven years, according to the average GPA of students involved in athletic organizations.
“My belief is that a student-athlete succeeds based on numerous factors. All of them are important, and if one is missing, the success rate is lower,” said Director of Athletics Dr. Tim Drain.
There are four organizations with a grade point average of above 3.0. Women’s Tennis leads all organizations with a 3.478 average among team members, followed by Men’s Tennis with a 3.297, Men’s Golf with a 3.288, and Volleyball with a 3.115 GPA.
“Our athletes must adhere to NJCAA Rules during their time at TJC,” said Dr. Drain. “The most basic academic rules are that a person must be a full-time student, which is someone enrolled in 12 credit hours or more, and must maintain a least a 2.0 GPA to be eligible to compete.”
Despite the minimum, 43 student-athletes have achieved a GPA of 3.5 or higher, while 92 student-athletes have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Combined, 41 percent of all TJC student-athletes and trainers have earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher this past fall.
“I believe that we have a faculty that cares about the success of all our students,” said Dr. Drain. “And our coaching staff emphasizes study hall and class attendance.”
“TJC has a testing department that makes sure that all students are put into a position to succeed by placing them in the right classes. [TJC also] has academic advisors that work with our practice and game schedules and try to get our student-athletes situations in which they can succeed.”
These successful students have learned to apply the hard work and determination they have all learned though in their athletic organization towards their study skills in their college career.
Student-Athletes such as– Men’s Tennis’ Clayton Mundell, Women’s Basketball Yoshica Spears and Brittany Roberson, Volleyball’s Clare Barnett, Men’s Golf’s Daniel Gibbins, Football’s Chris Brunson, Kyle Roget and Ryan Roget, and Women’s Tennis’ Therese Karlsson, Madison Snevily and Ashley Longoria, have attained a perfect 4.0.
In addition, Women’s Golf’s Amerlie Bernsdorf, Baseball’s Aaron Miranda and Caden Crawford, Trainer’s Herb Pena and Joseph Garza, Volleyball’s Dalia Serra and Erica Weden, Soccer’s Deni Lulic, Ben Paneccasio and Innocent Buule, and Football’s Cordero Mumphrey and Donald Moore, have all earned a GPA of 3.75 or above this past fall.
“I believe our coaches are using their time and resources wisely in recruiting student-athletes that can succeed academically and athletically at the collegiate level,” said Dr. Drain.
