CLEVELAND – The academic prowess of UNC Pembroke's student-athletes continued to be displayed nationally recently when a department record and a Peach Belt Conference-high 66 student-athletes were named to the 2019-20 Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2ADA) Academic Achievement Award listing.
 
The cross country/track & field program sent an institution-best 11 student-athletes to the distinguished listing, while both the football and softball programs had nine individuals lauded with the honor. The baseball team had eight student-athletes crowned with the achievement.
 
A total of 443 student-athletes across nine PBC institutions were recognized in the release. UNCP and Lander both had a league-best 66 individuals bestowed with the honor.
 
In order for a student-athlete to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the athletics director of the Division II institution must be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA.
 
Also, the student-athlete must:

• have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work
• have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year

UNCP's 16 varsity athletic teams combined to post a department record 3.106 grade point average across the 2019-20 academic year, including a 3.371 department GPA during the spring semester. Ten teams – baseball, women's basketball, men's cross country, women's cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, women's track & field and volleyball – registered a team GPA of 3.0 or better during the 2019-20 academic year, while three teams – women's basketball, men's cross country and baseball – saw their team GPA increase by better 15 percent or better as compared to the 2018-19 academic year.