WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - They are student-athletes at Purdue.
Student-athletes maintained better than a 3.0 grade-point average for the 13th consecutive semester this spring ââ'¬" achieving a record 3.09 ââ'¬" and they continue to regularly perform equal to or better than the student body. Following the spring semester, the cumulative GPA for all current Purdue student-athletes was a record 3.08.
Moreover, 14 of 18 teams boasted a GPA of 3.0 or better during the spring, and 15 have a cumulative GPA above that mark. Women's swimming & diving had the highest spring GPA at 3.59 and has the highest cumulative mark at 3.48.
To read more about the spring 2015 academic achievements, click here.
Football Ticket Mini-Plans
Ticket mini-plans are on sale for the upcoming football season.
There are two attractive options:
Two-Game East Side Prime Plan: Virginia Tech (Sept. 19) or Nebraska (Oct. 31) plus any other game for $98, a 35 percent savings
Three-Game Touchdown Plan: Virginia Tech or Nebraska plus any two other games for $105, a 22 percent savings.
If you can't make it to all seven home games, mini-plans are flexible and cost effective, and they are in great seat locations.
For more information, click here.
To purchase mini-plans or season tickets, click here.
Jones, Sheets Nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year
KiKi Jones of the volleyball team and Rhiannon Sheets of the swimming squad are Purdue's nominees for the NCAA Woman of the Year.
A record 480 nominees have been submitted for the award that is now in its 25th year honoring graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership. There are 207 nominees from Division I.
Conferences review each nominee's eligibility and select up to two nominees. All conference nominees are forwarded to the Woman of the Year selection committee, which chooses the top 30 honorees ââ'¬" 10 from each division. The committee then determines the top three nominees from each division and announces the top nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics then chooses from among those nine to determine the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year.
The Top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced Oct. 18 in Indianapolis.
Football Master Plan Update
The Football Master Plan was discussed in depth earlier this month at a three-day summit involving university officials ââ'¬" including president Mitch Daniels, board of trustees chairman Tom Spurgeon and vice chairman Mike Berghoff ââ'¬" athletics director Morgan Burke, head coach Darrell Hazell and members of the coaching staff; All-America quarterback Drew Brees and other former football players; and additional alumni and supporters.
Burke and Hazell designed the Football Master Plan to create a championship-caliber program. It consists of five points: roster development, recruiting, fan engagement, university support and facilities.
Specific to facilities, an initial market survey was conducted last fall, and the nearly 4,000 responses led to a design competition among six firms. In May, the athletics department chose Populous, a highly regarded firm specializing in the design of sports facilities. A second survey was conducted recently, with the goal to refine the Ross-Ade Stadium south end zone plans recommended by Populous, and the results from some 5,000 respondents are being reviewed.
Burke has received authorization from the Board of Trustees to begin concrete repairs to the southeast and southwest grandstands following the 2015 season and to develop a plan that includes other facility upgrades. The goal is to share that plan in December. All projects will be paid for by external support and internally generated funds. No student fees or state support will be utilized.
In support of the Football Master Plan, former All-America quarterback Drew Brees and his wife, Brittany, have committed $1 million to the football program.
Fairgrounds Court to open in Lafayette
At 11:45 a.m. today, Fairgrounds Court will open in Lafayette.
Fairgrounds Court is a collaborative project of the City of Lafayette and Lafayette Fire Department, Lafayette Family YMCA, Lafayette School Corp., Lyn Treece Boys & Girls Clubs of Tippecanoe County, Purdue Cardinal Community Hoops, and Tippecanoe County Commissioners.
Fairgrounds Court is located on the east end of the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds and north of Lafayette Fire Station No. 7 at 2150 South 18th Street.
Etcetera
Junior cross country/track & field runner Matthew McClintock has been named a third team Academic All-American … Former soccer player Lauren Sesselmann (2001-05) went the distance at center back to help Canada shut out Switzerland 1-0 on June 21 and advance to the quarterfinals of the knockout round of the FIFA Women's World Cup. Canada now plays England at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in Ottawa in a contest that will be televised live by Fox Sports 1 in the United States … Former volleyball player Val Nichol (2011-14) has signed a contract to play professionally for Allianz MTV Stuttgart in Germany … Tracking the Boilermakers will return July 10.