WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State student-athletes set a school record for the second-consecutive semester with a 3.45 cumulative grade-point average for the Fall 2023 semester. This breaks the all-time record of 3.406 set during the Spring 2023 semester. It was also the 37^th-consecutive semester of earning higher than a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average department wide.

In August of 2022, Wichita State Athletics established a bold and aggressive set of five-year strategic objectives. Academically - beginning the Fall of 2022 semester and concluding the Spring of 2027 semester - Wichita State Athletics aspires to achieve a department-wide 3.0 GPA all 10 semesters, a department-wide 3.30 GPA five out of the next 10 semesters – three of which have already been accomplished - and a department-wide 3.40 GPA once out of the next 10 semesters, a goal that has already been accomplished twice. The Fall of 2023 accomplished all three of these objectives for the second-consecutive semester.
 
"We are incredibly excited to share these record-setting results, as Shocker student-athletes dedicate themselves to achieving unprecedented academic success," said Director of Athletics Kevin Saal. "Achieving a record department-wide GPA for the second-consecutive semester is attributable to our student-athletes' commitment, the leadership of a tremendous administrator in Gretchen Torline and her highly competent and capable academic support staff (Kayln Helm, Faith Kunjachan, Lucy Schneider & Brooke Schultz) and the priority placed on academic success by our head coaches and their staffs." 
 
Of the 207 student-athletes on the honor roll (above a 3.0), 46 earned a perfect 4.0 GPA, while 145 were named to the Dean's List (3.5 GPA) and 190 were named Shocker Scholars (3.2 GPA).  Eighty-three percent of student-athletes were above a 3.0 GPA.  
 
"Unprecedented academic success would not be possible without the support of the Shocker Athletics Scholarship Organization (SASO), which helps to fund a $5M annual scholarship bill for Shocker Student-Athletes," Saal said. "SASO is critical to connecting young people from all walks of life to a higher education degree. Athletics represents unique classrooms through which young people are equipping to launch as leaders of character, competence, and consequence for life. Our gratitude and appreciation for hundreds of generous SASO contributors cannot be overstated. Thank you for fueling our mission to develop young people and programs through intercollegiate athletics at Wichita State University." 
 
If you would like to enhance your current contribution to SASO or make a new contribution to assist in providing the best educational experience for our student-athletes, please call the SASO Office at 316-978-7276 or email at saso@goshockers.com.