Bears Continue to Excel in the Classroom and Community in 2016-17

Bears Continue to Excel in the Classroom and Community in 2016-17

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — For the 2016-17 academic year, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) student-athletes combined for a cumulative 3.26 grade-point average with Bears achieving a collective 22 perfect 4.0 semesters over the fall and spring. Highlighting the 27 graduating student-athletes of the Class of 2017 was Mary Edward, a four-year member of the women's tennis team, who served as the Brooklyn valedictorian—just the third student-athlete selected for the prestigious honor.

In addition to the stellar academic achievements, Bears participated in just under 500 hours of community service initiatives. Members of every team took part in a wide range of volunteer service opportunities. 

"Academics and service are two of the main tenets we stress in the athletic department at St. Joseph's," commented Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and Student-Athlete Services Alex Winnicker, "and we are extremely proud seeing the great accomplishments of our student-athletes in those areas this past year."

For the third consecutive year, the Bears teamed with the New York Road Runners as the club invited our student-athletes to man Fluid Station 9 at the New York City Marathon. The Bears volunteered twice this year for NYRRC, as in May the student-athletes aided over 27,000 runners as they covered our home borough in the Brooklyn Half Marathon.

Another community service initiative of note was #hashtaglunchbag. In April, representatives of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee hosted a #hashtaglunchbag event (www.hashtaglunchbag.org), making 60 bagged lunches and delivering them to the Park Slope Women's Shelter. 

"The NCAA Division III ideals revolve around developing the whole of the student, as well as displaying oneself as an exemplary example to the rest of the College community. Our student-athletes are certainly living up to those ideas, setting a great example for the entire student-body and putting forth lofty goals for all to reach for in 2017-18," concluded Winnicker.

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By The Numbers

Academics

  • Average student-athlete GPA 2016-17: 3.26
  • Highest team cumulative GPA: Women's Cross Country (3.68)
  • Number of teams with a cumulative GPA over 3.0: 12
  • 4.0 semesters by Brooklyn student-athletes: 22 (11 fall, 11 spring)
  • Student-Athletes with a 4.0 in fall and spring: 3
  • Graduating student-athletes in Class of 2017: 27
  • Brooklyn Valedictorian: Mary Edward (Women's Tennis)

Community Service Projects

  • NYRR NYC Marathon (Women's Soccer and various teams)
  • hashtaglunchbag (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee)
  • NYRR Brooklyn Half Marathon (Women's Basketball) 
  • Special Olympics Basketball (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee)
  • Volleyball clinic for PS/IS 109 (Women's Volleyball)
  • "Penny Wars" fundraiser benefitting A Mother's Hope and T.E.A.L. (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee)
  • Thanksgiving Food Drive at SJC Brooklyn (All sports) 
  • Adopt-A-Soldier Thanksgiving Food Drive (Men's Soccer)
  • Bedford Stuyvesant Crusaders Football (Baseball)
  • Basketball clinic for Saint Leo the Great (Men's Basketball)
  • Hance Family Foundation 5K (Women's Soccer)