Gym'Backs post near-record grades in spring semester

Jump to list FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas gymnastics team tallied a near-record 3.56 team grade point average for the spring 2007 semester with two gymnasts earning University of Arkansas Women’s Athletics Department Academic Champion honors with perfect 4.00 grades. Graduating senior Rachel Barnett and incoming sophomore Allison Daniels each scored perfect 4.0s in the spring semester leading the Gym’Backs who had all 11 team members at or above a 3.00 this spring. Barnett is a kinesiology major who graduated this semester while Daniels is majoring in psychology and was a freshman on last year’s NCAA Regional participant team. "This is such a great accomplishment for this team," said co-head coach Rene Cook. "It’s important to us that our athletes take care of their responsibilities in and out of the gym and this is proof of the team’s ability to balance a very demanding and hectic schedule, especially in the midst of our competitive season. It takes a lot of focus to be a good gymnasts and a good student and to be able to do both at a high level is a great accomplishment. The coaching staff is very proud of this team." The Gym’Backs’ team GPA is just shy of the program-best 3.64 mark set in the spring semester of 2004 and the gymnastics team was the only program with every team member above a 3.00 for the semester. The Gym’Backs had two athletes earn Athletic Director’s List honors with grades in the 3.50-3.99 range. Sophomore Alexandra LaChance and junior Emily Peacock were both honored with LaChance majoring in kinesiology and Peacock in journalism. Six Gym’Backs earned selection to the Women’s Athletics Department Honor Roll with GPAs from 3.00-3.49. Junior Samantha Cortez (psychology), freshman Amara DeFilippo (kinesiology), senior Cassie Drew (English), freshman Casey Jo Mage (kinesiology, freshman Ashley McPhereson (accounting), freshman Sarah Nagashima (apparel studies) and freshman Michelle Stout (kinesiology) all earned Honor Roll honors. The Gym’Backs are coming off another solid year of competition reaching the program’s fourth consecutive NCAA Regional Championship in its five year’s of existence. Magee earned a trip as an individual to the NCAA Championship and the Gym’Backs return the bulk of this year’s team after graduating just two seniors, Barnett and Drew, in 2007. For more information about Arkansas gymnastics, please log on to LADYBACKS.COM.
2007 University of Arkansas Spring Honor Roll

Academic Champion (4.00 GPA)
Rachel Barnett Kinesiology
Allison Daniels Psychology
Athletic Director’s List (3.50-3.99 GPA)
Alex LaChance Kinesiology
Emily Peacock Journalism
Honor Roll (3.00-3.49 GPA)
Samantha Cortez Psychology
Amara DeFilippo Kinesiology
Cassie Drew English
Casey Jo Magee Kinesiology
Ashley McPherson Accounting
Sarah Nagashima Apparel Studies
Michelle Stout Marketing