RU tops Big South Presidential Honor Roll for third time in five years

RU's student-athletes perform well again

For the third time in five years, Radford University student-athletes have attained the Big South Conference's highest percentage of Presidential Honor Roll citations among the 12-member institutions.

For the third time in five years, Radford University student-athletes have attained the Big South Conference's highest percentage of Presidential Honor Roll citations among the 12-member institutions. Of the 228 Highlander student-athletes in the 2012-13 academic year, 141 (61.84 percent) attained at least a 3.0 grade point average for the year. That percentage represents an all-time high for Radford, according to Big South records. Radford also topped the league in percentage of honorees in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Big South Commissioner, Kyle Kallander, announced the league's honor roll recipients Tuesday. Eight of the league's 12 member institutions achieved above the 50 percent mark for student-athletes honored. Only Radford and UNC Asheville topped the 60 percent threshold.

"The Big South Conference has always taken a lot of pride in the academic accomplishments of its student-athletes," Kallander said.  "To have eight member institutions above 50 percent and nearly half of all student-athletes make the Presidential Honor Roll for the fourth consecutive year is a reflection of the outstanding individuals in the Conference and their priorities.  We are all extremely proud of the achievements of these fine young men and women."

President Penelope W. Kyle expressed her pride in the Highlander student-athletes who have brought such a prestigious honor to the University. "This is a wonderful recognition for Radford University and its student-athletes.  This award speaks so highly of our institution and our Division I athletics program, whose goal is to put the academic success of our student-athletes first.  With the support and encouragement of their coaches and professors, these student-athletes exhibited a steadfast dedication to excellence, both on the field of competition and in the classroom. They are the epitome of 'student-athletes', and we applaud them and their accomplishments," said Kyle.

Radford director of athletics, Robert Lineburg, gave credit to the emphasis on academics displayed by the Highlander coaching staff, the hard work put in by RU student-athletes, and the dedication shown by the office of student-athlete support services, headed by associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator, Stephanie Ballein.

"We are proud of the academic success of our student-athletes," Ballein said. "Radford student-athletes take great pride in performing well in the classroom. Our success is the result of teamwork; a commitment to academics by our administration and coaches and the support received from faculty and staff, advisors, and campus support services."

Radford has finished among the top of the Big South schools in academic achievement for nearly a decade. Highlander student-athletes have finished above the 50 percent threshold of Presidential Honor Roll achievers in every academic year since 2005-06.

Learn more about Radford University at www.radford.edu
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Jul 30, 2013
Tom Galbraith
(540) 831-5726
tgalbraith@radford.edu