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Carbondale (SIU Athletics) -- SIU's 360 student-athletes, battling through the toughest academic year for student-athletes in a lifetime, earned the best department-wide grade point average of any athletics program in the Missouri Valley Conference, the league announced today. 

"Winning the MVC All-Academic Award is the result of a shared commitment to academic excellence by every single one of our Saluki student-athletes," Director of Athletics  said. "Our head coaches set an outstanding standard of academic expectations, and our student-athletes achieved those goals.  and Connor James from our academic support staff should be recognized for their efforts in support of our student-athletes/ academic endeavors. This accomplishment is even more impressive given that it was achieved during incredibly challenging times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with outstanding competitive results throughout the year. Our student-athletes strive to make the University, its alumni and the southern Illinois region proud by being champions in competition, in the classroom, and in the community; and this award is proof that it is happening."

SIU student-athletes in MVC-sponsored sports earned an average 3.618 GPA over the 2020-21 school year, which is the best on record. Eleven separate SIU teams set all-time program GPA records in Fall 2020. For the entire year, 87 percent of student-athletes achieved a 3.0 GPA or better and 32 earned a perfect 4.0 GPA. 

"Saluki student-athletes are a tough group. They excelled in a time when others would have shut down," Assistant AD for Academics  said. "I'm thankful for an amazing staff and coaches who are committed to student-athlete success. You will see more of this out of the Salukis in the future."

The MVC All-Academic Award is the latest in a storied history of academic success at SIU. Salukis have earned 101 Academic All-American awards dating back to 1970, which is the most of any school in the MVC. Programs are routinely recognized by the NCAA for Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate. 

Every one of SIU's 17 athletics programs currently holds a cumulative GPA above 3.20, and eleven programs hold cumulative GPAs above 3.525. Notably, Saluki Football, which is a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, had a team GPA above 3.1 in both fall and spring semesters and finished second in the MVFC All-Academic award. 

The academic accomplishment came alongside outstanding athletics success, as well. SIU's football program snapped North Dakota State's 39-game winning streak and advanced to the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals. The men's basketball program got off to a 7-0 start, its best since 1947, and earned a win at Butler on national TV. The Saluki Baseball program had its winningest season in 31 years, and the Saluki Softball program earned its 13th trip to the NCAA Tournament, its third in the last five years.