GUNNISON, Colo.  The 2021-22 academic year was not only highlighted by athletic accomplishments such as 11 All-American certificates, three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference players of the year, a coach of the year as well as a conference championship in football, but also in the classroom as the Mountaineers upheld the term student-athlete by posting a combined 3.34 grade point average from 13 NCAA-sponsored sports.

The fall semester GPA landed at 3.30 with the spring GPA rising to 3.35.

Leading the way for the year in men's sports was the basketball team with a 3.47 posting. On the women's side of the ledger, basketball, cross country, and swimming each posted 3.61 team GPAs.

"Our department strives for success in all areas, not just in the ones fans see on the courts or fields, or on the mat or track, in the pool or on trails," said Director of Athletics Miles Van Hee. "These results on both sides of the student-athlete equation show not only the commitment by our Mountaineers, but also the commitment from each program's leadership. They are clearly finding the best processes to achieve success while maintaining proper balance."

Within the RMAC, nine Mountaineers earned first-team All-Academic honors, including Cade Michael who picked up the Summit Award—presented to the student-athlete with the highest GPA participating at a league championship event—in men's cross country.

There were also 165 Mountaineers who earned Honorable Mention inclusion on their respective sport's all-academic lists.