Gym'Backs ranked 10th in the nation academically
FAYETTEVILLE –The University of Arkansas gymnastics team ranks 10th in the nation and first in the Southeastern Conference academically according to the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches for Women.
"One of our goals is to be the top team academically in the conference and in the nation," said co-head coach Rene Cook. "We were 14th as a team last year and have improved on that this year with a team of freshmen and sophomores. Mark (co-head coach Mark Cook) and I really believe that what happens in the classroom translates into the gym and we know we’re on the right track."
Arkansas posted a 3.48 team grade point average with nine individuals honored. Southern Utah led the nation with a 3.70 GPA.
In addition to the team’s overall success, nine individual Gym’Backs earned NACGC/W Academic All-America honors with 3.5 GPAs or better. They are Jamie Burnett, Valerie Conroy, Kim Harris, Brooke Lawrence, Melissa Leigh, Audra Loveless, Hannah McLeod, Dana McQuillin and Kathy Thompson
Arkansas ranked 14th last year with a 3.43 GPA also leading the SEC. This year the Gym’Backs are 10th overall and again lead the seven-member league. Alabama ranks 20th with a 3.33, followed by No. 40 Louisiana State (3.16), No. 45 Georgia (3.09) and No. 53 Florida (2.99) rounding out the SEC teams.
2004 NACGC/W Academic All-American – Team
| Institution | Team GPA | #Individual Awards | |
| 1. | Southern Utah | 3.7015 | 10 |
| 2. | Eastern Michigan | 3.5616 | 11 |
| 3. | Massachusetts Institute of Tech. | 3.5556 | 6 |
| 4. | George Washington | 3.5400 | 9 |
| 5. | Nebraska, Lincoln | 3.5292 | 7 |
| 6. | North Carolina, Chapel Hill | 3.5169 | 8 |
| 7. | Stanford | 3.5108 | 9 |
| 8. | Pennsylvania State | 3.4871 | 8 |
| 9. | Denver | 3.4867 | 8 |
| 10. | ARKANSAS | 3.4808 | 9 |
| 11. | Washington | 3.4373 | 7 |
| 12. | Brown | 3.4317 | 11 |
| 13. | Oklahoma | 3.4153 | 6 |
| 14. | Gustavus Adolphus College | 3.3954 | 13 |
| 15. | Pennsylvania | 3.3791 | 8 |
| 16. | Texas Woman’s | 3.3716 | 11 |
| 17. | Brigham Young | 3.3589 | 8 |
| 18. | Pittsburgh | 3.3471 | 8 |
| 19. | Cornell | 3.3320 | 11 |
| 20. | Alabama, Tuscaloosa | 3.3288 | 8 |
| 21. | Utah State | 3.3285 | 4 |
| 22. | Utah | 3.3250 | 7 |
| 23. | Iowa | 3.3175 | 7 |
| 24. | Minnesota, Twin Cities | 3.3146 | 4 |
| 25. | Michigan State | 3.3106 | 6 |
| 26. | California, Los Angeles | 3.3022 | 8 |
| 27. | Central Michigan | 3.2975 | 2 |
| 28. | Illinois, Champaign | 3.2963 | 7 |
| 29. | James Madison | 3.2904 | 7 |
| 30. | Centenary College (Louisiana) | 3.2525 | 3 |
| 31. | North Carolina State | 3.2468 | 8 |
| 32. | Boise State | 3.2319 | 4 |
| 33. | Maryland, College Park | 3.2265 | 8 |
| 34. | Springfield College | 3.2227 | 5 |
| 35. | Ohio State | 3.1944 | 7 |
| 36. | Bowling Green State | 3.1911 | 6 |
| 37. | San Jose State | 3.1800 | 6 |
| 38. | Oregon State | 3.1786 | 5 |
| 39. | Southeast Missouri State | 3.1729 | 5 |
| 40. | Louisiana State | 3.1644 | 5 |
| 41. | New Hampshire | 3.1567 | 5 |
| 42. | Rhode Island | 3.1444 | 5 |
| 43. | Southern Connecticut State | 3.1167 | 5 |
| 44. | Temple | 3.0932 | 3 |
| 45. | Georgia | 3.0926 | 5 |
| 46. | Wilson College | 3.0823 | 3 |
| 47. | Rutgers | 3.0800 | 10 |
| 48. | College of William and Mary | 3.0767 | 6 |
| 49. | California State, Sacramento | 3.0667 | 4 |
| 50. | Michigan | 3.0631 | 1 |
| 51. | California, Berkeley | 3.0542 | 3 |
| 52. | Seattle Pacific | 2.9953 | 5 |
| 53. | Florida | 2.9878 | 2 |
| 54. | Alaska Anchorage | 2.9450 | 2 |
| 55. | Arizona | 2.9131 | 3 |
| 56. | Illinois at Chicago | 2.8873 | 3 |
| 57. | Missouri, Columbia | 2.8447 | 3 |
| 58. | Arizona State | 2.7821 | 4 |
| 59. | Wisconsin, Whitewater | 2.7150 | 3 |
| 60. | Auburn | Ind. only | 3 |
| 61. | California State , Fullerton | Ind. only | 2 |
| 62. | Iowa State | Ind. only | 1 |
| 63. | Kent State | Ind. only | 2 |
| 64. | West Virginia | Ind. only | 3 |
| 65. | Yale | Ind. only | 5 |
