July 11, 2008

IRVING, Texas - The East Carolina men's basketball, men's golf, softball and men's tennis programs have been awarded the 2008 Conference USA Sport Academic Award, according to an announcement from League Commissioner Britton Banowsky on Friday. Additionally, Rice was honored with the C-USA Institutional Excellence Award for the third straight year

The Institutional Excellence Award is given to the C-USA institution with the highest grade point average during the current academic year for all student-athletes in conference sponsored sports. Rice student-athletes combined for an annual grade point average of 3.014, with five teams representing their respective sport's top GPA. East Carolina produced four different teams with the highest GPA.

The Sport Academic Award is given to the team in each conference-sponsored sport with the highest grade point average for the current academic year.

Baseball - UAB - 3.060
Men's Basketball - East Carolina - 2.781
Women's Basketball - Rice - 3.153
Men's Cross Country - Houston - 3.500
Women's Cross Country - Memphis - 3.713
Football - Rice - 2.786
Men's Golf - East Carolina - 3.506
Women's Golf - Marshall - 3.650
Men's Soccer - Tulsa - 2.990
Women's Soccer - Colorado College - 3.344
Softball - East Carolina - 3.257
Women's Swimming - Rice - 3.266
Men's Tennis - East Carolina - 3.692
Women's Tennis - Rice - 3.556
Men's Track and Field - Rice - 3.148
Women's Track and Field - Tulsa - 3.290
Volleyball - Memphis - 3.580