Academic champions

Southeast Missouri State University has many student-athletes doing an excellent job on both the playing field and in the classroom. But one team recently received national honors for their academic excellence.

The university's gymnastics program was recently named the 2011 academic national champion by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women with a team 3.91 GPA.

Nine of the 17 members from last year's team earned a 4.0 GPA during the 2010-2011 academic year, and the entire team received NACGC/W All-Academic honors, each earning a 3.5 or better GPA.

While this year's honor is impressive in and of itself, it's even more so considering this is the fourth time in five years the team has won the award.

Competing athletically at the collegiate level is no small feat. But combine that challenge with academic excellence and you have an exceptionally talented student-athlete. The Southeast gymnastics program has, indeed, seen some exceptionally talented student-athletes in recent years, and we commend these individuals and the university's athletic department for emphasizing the importance of academics.

Soon fall sports, at both the high school and college level, will begin their competitions, and we encourage each student-athlete to continue to make the extra effort to excel not only athletically but also, and more importantly, academically.