While college athletes have a reputation for trading academic success for success on the field or court, student-athletes at the University of New Haven have proven versatile as a record-breaking 327 student-athletes were named to the NE-10 Honor Roll or higher after the fall semester.

Maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher, 196 of the 327 honorees were named to the Dean’s List with 37 student-athletes completing the semester with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

“The key is to lead by example,” said Zack Pincince, a junior on the baseball team who has continuously earned a spot on the honor roll. “It’s important for me to get good grades and stay on top of school because a lot of the younger guys are still trying to figure out study habits and how to succeed in the classroom. So, being able to be a good role model is essential.”

Volleyball led the way for Chargers’ athletics in academic success during the fall 2020 semester, as they posted a team average GPA of 3.73. Out of the 16 players on their roster, 13 of them earned a spot on the Dean’s List.

“The key to being a successful student-athlete in college is time management.” Said Mikayla Bowerfind, a senior on the women’s lacrosse team. Bowerfind, who earned a 4.0 GPA last semester, says that sports have helped her find success in the classroom.

The women’s lacrosse team recorded the largest number of student-athletes on the Dean’s List, as 19 of them were honored. According to Laura Agbayani, a sophomore on the women’s lacrosse team, being named to the honor roll last semester was “even more rewarding than usual.”

“Homework and assignments are already tough and having limited resources due to COVID-19 doesn’t help.” Said Agbayani. “But New Haven has worked hard to make it possible for us to succeed.”

The men’s soccer team also found success in the classroom during the fall semester as the team averaged a 3.24 GPA. Senior Estanislao Desseno and Junior Francisco Guedes led the way for their team. Both finished the fall semester with a 4.0 GPA.

While the average GPA for a student at the University of New Haven is 3.44, Charger student-athletes have positioned themselves above average. Despite facing unprecedented challenges, Chargers’ athletics saw over 50% of their student-athletes listed on the honor roll.

For Cypress Levitt, a two-sport athlete for the Chargers, time management is essential. “Balancing academics and athletics is never easy,” said Levitt, a freshman member of the women’s soccer and lacrosse teams. “It’s proven even more difficult in college, but seeing my name listed makes it all worth it.”

The Northeast-10 Academic Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes within the conference for their academic success. To be eligible for the NE10 Honor Roll, students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above and be registered as full-time students.

“Seeing my teammates do well in the classroom always encourages me to do better,” said Pincince. “It’s good to have that healthy competition.”

With 14 schools and 6,300 student-athletes in the conference, roughly 70% have been named to the honor roll for the fall 2020 semester. Out of the 4,417 honorees conference-wide, 450 athletes posted a 4.0 GPA.