Elevating Excellence: How Tennessee’s Student-Athletes Shine in the Classroom and on the Field – University of Tennessee Athletics

The Fall 2024 semester was a standout term for Tennessee Athletics. Student-athletes achieved an impressive 3.38 GPA, marking the second-highest fall GPA in the university’s history.

This success is part of a long streak. The Vols and Lady Vols have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher for 24 consecutive semesters, showcasing a solid commitment to academics over the past 13 years.

The Tennessee Athletics’ Rise Glorious Strategic Plan emphasizes the importance of education in college sports. It focuses on maximizing each student-athlete’s educational journey while setting high academic performance standards.

Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White expressed his pride, saying, “Our student-athletes commit to thriving both in the classroom and on the field. Their time at Rocky Top prepares them for future successes in life.”

Notably, men’s student-athletes hit a record combined GPA of 3.28, the highest ever at UT. This achievement is thanks to stellar performances in men’s tennis (3.65), baseball (3.59), men’s basketball (3.50), and football (3.18). Each of these teams also celebrated significant competitive successes, including baseball’s first National Championship and football’s debut in the College Football Playoff.

Senior Associate Athletics Director Chris Johnson shared his excitement about the accomplishments. He highlighted that academic achievement is just as vital as sports victories, saying the dedication shown by coaches, staff, and the Tennessee Tailored team is vital to student-athletes’ success.

Some key academic highlights from Fall 2024 include:

• All 16 sports achieved team GPAs above 3.00 for the fourth consecutive semester.
• 66 student-athletes earned a perfect 4.00 GPA.
• 271 student-athletes made the Dean’s List, which is nearly half of UT’s undergraduate student-athletes and a record number.
• 80% of student-athletes maintained a GPA of 3.00 or higher.
• Seven teams reached or surpassed their highest GPA for a fall semester, with six teams achieving all-time high GPAs.
• Women’s Tennis matched the highest GPA recorded by any team at 3.79, a record shared with Women’s Golf from Spring 2017.

Additionally, 33 current and former UT student-athletes graduated in December, completing their degrees:
Baseball (1): Charlie Taylor, Business Administration (Master’s)
Men’s Basketball (2): Jordan Gainey, Communication Studies; Jahmai Mashack, Psychology
Football (9): Dominic Bailey, Communication Studies; Charlie Browder, Marketing; Dayne Davis, Management and Human Resources (Master’s); Bryson Eason, Communication Studies; Jackson Locke, Communication Studies; Luke Shouse, Marketing; Javontez Spraggins, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication (Master’s); Dont’e Thornton Jr., Communication Studies; William Wright, Management
Rowing (5): Sarah Abrams, Sport Management; Lili Binetti, Geology and Environmental Study; Casey Chronister, Mechanical Engineering; Sophie Hill, Psychology; Sasha Radovanovic, Business Administration (Master’s)
Soccer (2): Nolyn Bartholomew, Kinesiology; MacKenzie Haba, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication (Master’s)
Softball (2): Grace Keene, Hospitality and Tourism Management; Olivia Underwood, Kinesiology
Men’s Tennis (1): Younes Lalami, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication (Master’s)
Men’s Track and Field (6): Israel Adesina, Aerospace Engineering (Master’s); Will Cahill, Retail and Merchandise Management; Javonte’ Harding, Sport Management; Sterling Melancon, Communication Studies; Eli Nahom, Mechanical Engineering (Master’s); Gabriel Sanchez, Marketing
Women’s Track and Field (2): Emily Knight, Recreation and Sport Management (Master’s); Kayla Sweeney, Communication Studies
Volleyball (3): Emilia Beeker, Sociology; Abby Ekeler, Communication Studies; Lauren Woodford, Business Administration (Master’s)