Fall athletic teams perform well in classroom

The Saddleback College athletic department is pleased to announce that six of the college's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams that were in season during the Fall 2017 semester have amassed an average team grade point average over 3.00.

"There are many community college athletic programs that don't get any teams to average above a 3.0 GPA and the fact that Saddleback had six teams above that mark is a testament to our student-athletes and the importance they put on their education," said first-year Dean of Kinesiology and Athletic Director Dan Clauss.  "Our PASS Program and the Learning Resource Center staff have been amazing.  There is a solid system in place at Saddleback to help our student-athletes achieve academic success which encompasses the skills and extra efforts of our faculty and staff.  This is absolutely wonderful and I want to see this system continue to grow."

The Saddleback women's golf team led all fall sports teams for the third time in the past four years by posting an overall team GPA of 3.48.  The golfers also excelled on the course, winning their second straight conference title.  The women's cross country team posted an overall team GPA of 3.33 while finishing as the conference runners-up and placing 12th overall at the state championship.  It was the fourth consecutive year that women's cross country posted a team GPA above 3.00.

The Saddleback women's soccer team posted its third consecutive season above a 3.00 team GPA, finishing with a 3.24 team average this fall.  The soccer team qualified for the regional playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.  Men's basketball eclipsed the 3.00 mark for the third straight season by posting a 3.07 team GPA while both men's water polo and women's water polo each posted 3.05 team GPA's.

These teams will now be nominated for Orange Empire Conference scholar-team honors and to represent the conference for statewide scholar-team recognition.