Raising the bar: AWC student – athletes finish school year with 3.26 GPA

Six of the seven sports programs on campus recognized as academic All-American teams

YUMA, Ariz. ( KYMA-KECY-TV ) - The 2021-22 school year on the Arizona Western campus was a very successful one. The Matadors experienced a fantastic year behind their sports programs and also in the classroom. Six of the seven AWC sports programs are recognized as academic All- American teams. 36 student athlete are also recognized as academic All-Americans. As a whole, the Matador student-athletes finished the year with a combined 3.26 grade point average. that's the highest mark ever that Athletic Director Jerry Smith has seen since he arrived on campus back in 2005.

"Our grade point average has been creeping up a little each year," Smith said. "I mean, we certainly talk to our students as they come in how important the academics is to all of our student athletes. So we're really happy,  the students find we're going to expect them to move out of here with a two year degree with an opportunity to move on to a four year school."