Six St. John’s Programs Earn BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Awards

A league-best six St. John's sport programs earned the BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Awards for the 2019-20 academic year, the conference announced on Monday.
 
The Red Storm's baseball, men's basketball, women's golf, men's lacrosse, women's soccer and softball teams each received the academic honor after posting the highest cumulative grade point average in the league for their respective sports.
 
St. John's tied DePaul for the highest total of BIG EAST Team Academic Awards for the 2019-20 campaign. Women's soccer was recognized by the conference for the fifth-consecutive year, leading the Red Storm with a team GPA of 3.824 for the 2019-20 academic season, the highest among all St. John's squads. 
 
"In a time when our student athletes faced unprecedented challenges, they rose to the occasion and registered the most successful academic year in St. John's history," said Associate Athletics Director for Student Services Eric Rienecker.

"We are proud of their commitment to academic success in the face of adversity."

Women's golf took home the award for the second straight year and garnered the second-highest Red Storm team GPA of 3.738.
 
Softball led seven other schools in their sport with a 3.685 GPA while baseball turned in a team GPA of 3.506 to collect its seventh BIG EAST academic accolade.
 
The men's lacrosse squad continued its academic excellence this year, earning its seventh academic honor from the conference in the last nine seasons by posting a 3.592 GPA. Men's basketball rounded out St. John's list of award winners earning its first-ever BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Award, leading the conference's 10 other programs with a 3.396 cumulative grade point average.