HICKORY, NC - The standards keep rising for the Bears. This past semester the Lenoir-Rhyne Athletic Department posted a cumulative GPA of 3.34, one of the highest in school history. 105 student-athletes posted a 4.0 GPA, six more than last semester. 

The sustained increase in student-athlete success has been a result of a commitment to the student-athletes from the department. Jordan Smith, LR's Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Success has played a major role in the increase of high GPA's. In addition to Smith, Lenoir-Rhyne's restructured BEAR Central has played a vital part in the accessibility of academic help for all students. To learn more about BEAR Central, click HERE.

In total, 255 student-athletes had a GPA above a 2.75, and 378 had at least a 3.50. On the teams side of things, Women's Cross Country led all sports with a 3.72 GPA, followed closely behind by Women's Tennis (3.69) and Women's Soccer (3.67). Not one Lenoir-Rhyne athletics program finished with a GPA lower than a 3.00.