MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State Athletics has worked hard to develop a culture of academic excellence and continues to surpass major milestones as Laker student-athletes have recorded a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) as a Department for the 2018-19 campaign, marking the first time that has been accomplished in program history.
 
Coming off of the first 3.0 semester in the program's 29-year history this past fall, 70 student-athletes reached that mark in the spring with 11 of those recording perfect 4.0 GPAs.
 
For the year, three individuals finished with a 4.0 as freshman Stephanie Escobar (Forest Park, Ga.) of women's cross country and track & field, freshman Isabel Massa (Caracas, Venezuela) of women's soccer and graduate Tim Neusesser (Bad Berleburg, Germany) of men's soccer accomplished the feat.
 
Additionally, a total of six programs earned at least a 3.0 as a team for 2018-19 with women's soccer leading the way with a sterling 3.6. Joining them in that elite company was men's cross country (3.2), men's golf (3.1), women's cross country (3.1), women's track & field (3.1) and men's soccer (3.0) leading to an unprecedented Department-wide performance.
 
"The buy-in from our student-athletes into our academic excellence program is amazing," said Director of Athletics Ryan Erlacher. "They are 100-percent committed to achieving academic success and are setting a new academic standard for Clayton State Athletics. Their coaches and advisors all play a major role in the success achieved in the classroom, but most importantly, the credit should go directly to our student-athletes for their remarkable ability to handle a variety of responsibilities."
 
There are a number of individuals that aid Clayton State's more than 140 student-athletes in their academic endeavors. These include the athletic administration, coaches, Campus Support Services and Athletics Academic Committee.
 
Those involved are Assistant Director of Special Populations Keesha White, Assistant Director of the Center for Academic Success Jada Mitchell, Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. R.B. Rosenburg, Graduate Assistant Jalyn Brooks, Senior Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator Merlene Aitken-Smith and Erlacher.
 
Since August of 2014, Clayton State Athletics has experienced an academic renaissance that has seen them graduate more than 100 current or former student-athletes in that time.
 
Additionally, 11 of the program's 19 CoSIDA Academic All-District selections have come during that time as well as three of the four CoSIDA Academic All-America's earned by Laker student-athletes. The latter includes honorees in each of the past three years and a two-time First-Team selection in Maria Marti Bartis (2015-16, 2016-17) – both program firsts.
 
"We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes and for the year they have had," added Erlacher. "Our department will continue to look for ways to emphasize academic performance and praise our student-athletes for their outstanding work."
 
2018-19 GPA by Team
Women's Soccer – 3.6
Men's Cross Country – 3.2
Men's Golf – 3.1
Women's Cross Country – 3.1
Women's Track & Field – 3.1
Men's Soccer – 3.0
Cheerleading – 2.9
Men's Track & Field – 2.9
Women's Basketball – 2.9
Men's Basketball – 2.5
 
2018-19 Top Individual GPA by Sport
Cheerleading – Dacia Daniel – 3.2
Men's Cross Country – Anuj Patel – 3.8
Women's Cross Country – Carla Catala Martin – 3.6
Men's Soccer – Tim Neusesser – 4.0
Women's Soccer – Isabel Massa – 4.0
Men's Basketball – Brian Sims, Jr. – 3.9
Women's Basketball – Jhade Hayes – 3.6
Men's Track & Field – Evan Ortiz, Keldren Reddick, T.J. Witherspoon – 3.6
Women's Track & Field – Stephanie Escobar – 4.0
Men's Golf – Javier Gonzalez, Augusto Oliva – 3.6