DePaul University Athletics
Blue Demon GPAs Are Off the Charts
7/9/2020 10:07:00 AM | ATHLETICS, MEN'S BASKETBALL, MEN'S GOLF, MEN'S SOCCER, MEN'S TENNIS, SOFTBALL, TRACK AND FIELD, WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, WOMEN'S SOCCER, WOMEN'S TENNIS, WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL, MEN'S TRACK, MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY, WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY, WOMEN'S TRACK
Highest GPA in school history amidst deadly pandemic, nationwide protests
CHICAGO – It's pretty common knowledge that DePaul's student-athletes are fiercely competitive in their respective sports with an identical passion for winning big-time in the classroom.
But 2019-20 was simply off the charts as the Blue Demons collectively posted a record-setting grade-point average of 3.556. The previous high was 3.445 from both 2017-18 and 2018-19.
And remember, no other class of DePaul student-athletes has ever been challenged by complete online learning, the scariest pandemic in our country's history, government orders to shelter-in-place and the emotional turbulence of an ongoing nationwide Black Lives Matter protest movement ignited by the murder of George Floyd.
Despite their lives being totally disrupted to the point that many of the international student-athletes could not return to their native countries, every one of them embraced a litany of adversity as they skyrocketed to an amazing 3.712 GPA for the spring quarter.
Leading the way was a women's tennis team that posted a perfect 4.000 mark, prompting Athletics Academic Advising (AAA) Associate Athletics Director Kate O'Brien to comment: "I don't ever remember a team having a 4.0 for a quarter like women's tennis did this spring." This from a program where six of the eight tennis players have adapted to English as a second language.
Right on the heels of coach Marisa Arce's team were men's tennis with a 3.961 spring quarter GPA followed by coach Doug Bruno's women's basketball hoopsters at 3.905. Coming in fourth was women's soccer (3.881) with softball (3.798), volleyball (3.781) and women's cross country/track and field (3.765) next in line.
"Going into the spring quarter, we didn't really know what to expect," O'Brien said. "Faculty and students had to scramble in just a few short weeks and transition to being completely online. Our faculty did an amazing job adapting their classes and supporting students throughout the quarter.
"We had student-athletes who had to borrow laptops or go to friends' or relatives' homes to access the internet as they didn't have Wi-Fi at their home. It was a true team effort---from our tutors and graduate assistants to our full-time staff and coaches---everyone pitched in to make sure our student-athletes felt supported.
"We were able to move our student meetings, tutoring and programming online. I am incredibly proud of how hard our student-athletes worked and how resilient they were. As we've seen time and again, our faculty is second to none in its support of the university's students and our student-athletes."
Assistant director Ben Gutman detailed how his department mobilized so quickly.
"Triple-A did a good job planning in a really short period of time," Gutman said. "Tutors were assigned, times were chosen, (assistant director) Terri Sullivan organized getting books sent to everyone---all adding up to an incredible team effort.
"We came up with a solution that simulated our office experience. Our tutors and student-workers underwent training at the very end of spring break, and we were off and running for the spring quarter.
"Students (especially men's basketball) along with good communication with coaches came to our virtual office just like they would come to the Sullivan Athletic Center."
Men's basketball recorded its highest GPA of any quarter with a 3.457 mark this spring.
"With help from the coaches, we were able to establish a good plan and rhythm for our guys with myself and with tutors," Gutman said. "It quickly became routine because we stuck to our plan. Our guys are very passionate about matters that include the Black Lives Matter movement and vocalizing when it came to issues involving police brutality.
"Our Sunday meetings were great conversations about the need to educate ourselves fully (school and life), and I believe that strengthened many of our guys' resolve with academics, how to approach protests and creating change. Charlie Moore for sure led the way with his example of completely buying into what we were doing."
Men's tennis was the best of the best, topping all Blue Demon teams with an eye-popping 3.890 GPA for the academic year. Women's tennis was runner-up at 3.850. Rounding out the top five were women's soccer (3.764), volleyball (3.715) and women's cross country (3.680).
"Men's tennis competed academically at an elite level this spring, and that came as no surprise to me," Sullivan said. "Every single time they are presented with an individual or collective challenge, they rise to it.
"There was no difference when making the adjustment to remote learning and all of the uncertainty that came with their academic and athletic pursuits including the added difficulty of our international students trying to get home, some not being able to get home at all and those who made it dealing with a seven-hour difference in time zones.
"I am fortunate to work with such a committed group of individuals who take pride in being the best in all that they do---a direct reflection of their leader, coach Matt Brothers. It is all about their attitudes---amazingly positive and very accountable. They are certainly the type of people we need moving forward during these very difficult times."
Sullivan reflected on pulling off quite a feat.
"Our own fearless leader in AAA, Dr. O'Brien, has so many talents," Sullivan said. "But her amazing patience, kindness, knowledge, and attitude just allowed our team to hit the ground running in finding ways to give our student-athletes the support they needed this quarter.
"My awesome colleague Ben Gutman was ahead of the game in becoming a Zoom pro and in working with learning specialist Richie Fugiel and graduate assistants Jamie Lloyd and India Steward to set up virtual meeting rooms and tutoring spaces for students and advisors to meet.
"Ben's tutoring program didn't miss a beat in being ready to serve our student-athletes the moment spring classes began. Although we were not able to see each other and work together in person, it was still all about the people."
But 2019-20 was simply off the charts as the Blue Demons collectively posted a record-setting grade-point average of 3.556. The previous high was 3.445 from both 2017-18 and 2018-19.
And remember, no other class of DePaul student-athletes has ever been challenged by complete online learning, the scariest pandemic in our country's history, government orders to shelter-in-place and the emotional turbulence of an ongoing nationwide Black Lives Matter protest movement ignited by the murder of George Floyd.
Despite their lives being totally disrupted to the point that many of the international student-athletes could not return to their native countries, every one of them embraced a litany of adversity as they skyrocketed to an amazing 3.712 GPA for the spring quarter.
Leading the way was a women's tennis team that posted a perfect 4.000 mark, prompting Athletics Academic Advising (AAA) Associate Athletics Director Kate O'Brien to comment: "I don't ever remember a team having a 4.0 for a quarter like women's tennis did this spring." This from a program where six of the eight tennis players have adapted to English as a second language.
Right on the heels of coach Marisa Arce's team were men's tennis with a 3.961 spring quarter GPA followed by coach Doug Bruno's women's basketball hoopsters at 3.905. Coming in fourth was women's soccer (3.881) with softball (3.798), volleyball (3.781) and women's cross country/track and field (3.765) next in line.
"Going into the spring quarter, we didn't really know what to expect," O'Brien said. "Faculty and students had to scramble in just a few short weeks and transition to being completely online. Our faculty did an amazing job adapting their classes and supporting students throughout the quarter.
"We had student-athletes who had to borrow laptops or go to friends' or relatives' homes to access the internet as they didn't have Wi-Fi at their home. It was a true team effort---from our tutors and graduate assistants to our full-time staff and coaches---everyone pitched in to make sure our student-athletes felt supported.
"We were able to move our student meetings, tutoring and programming online. I am incredibly proud of how hard our student-athletes worked and how resilient they were. As we've seen time and again, our faculty is second to none in its support of the university's students and our student-athletes."
Assistant director Ben Gutman detailed how his department mobilized so quickly.
"Triple-A did a good job planning in a really short period of time," Gutman said. "Tutors were assigned, times were chosen, (assistant director) Terri Sullivan organized getting books sent to everyone---all adding up to an incredible team effort.
"We came up with a solution that simulated our office experience. Our tutors and student-workers underwent training at the very end of spring break, and we were off and running for the spring quarter.
"Students (especially men's basketball) along with good communication with coaches came to our virtual office just like they would come to the Sullivan Athletic Center."
Men's basketball recorded its highest GPA of any quarter with a 3.457 mark this spring.
"With help from the coaches, we were able to establish a good plan and rhythm for our guys with myself and with tutors," Gutman said. "It quickly became routine because we stuck to our plan. Our guys are very passionate about matters that include the Black Lives Matter movement and vocalizing when it came to issues involving police brutality.
"Our Sunday meetings were great conversations about the need to educate ourselves fully (school and life), and I believe that strengthened many of our guys' resolve with academics, how to approach protests and creating change. Charlie Moore for sure led the way with his example of completely buying into what we were doing."
Men's tennis was the best of the best, topping all Blue Demon teams with an eye-popping 3.890 GPA for the academic year. Women's tennis was runner-up at 3.850. Rounding out the top five were women's soccer (3.764), volleyball (3.715) and women's cross country (3.680).
"Men's tennis competed academically at an elite level this spring, and that came as no surprise to me," Sullivan said. "Every single time they are presented with an individual or collective challenge, they rise to it.
"There was no difference when making the adjustment to remote learning and all of the uncertainty that came with their academic and athletic pursuits including the added difficulty of our international students trying to get home, some not being able to get home at all and those who made it dealing with a seven-hour difference in time zones.
"I am fortunate to work with such a committed group of individuals who take pride in being the best in all that they do---a direct reflection of their leader, coach Matt Brothers. It is all about their attitudes---amazingly positive and very accountable. They are certainly the type of people we need moving forward during these very difficult times."
Sullivan reflected on pulling off quite a feat.
"Our own fearless leader in AAA, Dr. O'Brien, has so many talents," Sullivan said. "But her amazing patience, kindness, knowledge, and attitude just allowed our team to hit the ground running in finding ways to give our student-athletes the support they needed this quarter.
"My awesome colleague Ben Gutman was ahead of the game in becoming a Zoom pro and in working with learning specialist Richie Fugiel and graduate assistants Jamie Lloyd and India Steward to set up virtual meeting rooms and tutoring spaces for students and advisors to meet.
"Ben's tutoring program didn't miss a beat in being ready to serve our student-athletes the moment spring classes began. Although we were not able to see each other and work together in person, it was still all about the people."
Players Mentioned
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