Gymnastics earns eighth national academic team title

Champions, again The W&M men's gymnastics team won the national academic team title for the eighth time, third time in a row. No other school has won as many times. Photo courtesy of Tribe Athletics

by Tribe Athletics | July 5, 2016

The William & Mary men's gymnastics team earned the program's eighth College Gymnastics Association (CGA) national academic team title after posting a combined grade-point average of 3.512. In addition to claiming the last three academic team titles, the Tribe's impressive overall total is more than any other program since the inception of the award in 1991.

The success continues a long-standing tradition of excellence in the classroom by Tribe men's gymnasts, as the program won national academic team titles in 1991, 1992, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016 while placing second six times (1994, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009 and 2013). Additionally, W&M has finished third on three occasions (1999, 2006 and 2011).

Tribe gymnasts also continue to lead the nation with more individual All-America Scholar-Athlete honors than any other program in men's gymnastics, as 16 W&M standouts garnered the honor this year. In total, 49 Tribe gymnasts have combined to earn 152 All-American Scholar-Athlete honors.

"It is so stimulating to have a team culture that revolves around such hard work in the classroom, in the gym, and in making the community a better place," coach Cliff Gauthier said. “This is what Tribe Pride is all about."

Twelve W&M gymnasts earned first-team All-American Scholar-Athlete designation by the CGA for the 2016 season: Jacopo Gliozzi, David Allen, Mitchell Campbell, Mat Turnansky, Peter Makey, Rob Meyer, Aria Sabbagh, Adam Avant, Ryan Metzger, Keaton Ackerman, Jack Hasenkopf and Griffin Antle. With the honor, Ackerman becomes the 11th gymnast in school history to earn first-team All-American Scholar-Athlete accolades four times.

Second-team All-American Scholar-Athlete designations were awarded to Jeremiah McReynolds Nick Van Dyke, Jake Feldmann and Jake Honsberger.

College Gymnastics Association's top 10 academic teams

1. William & Mary 3.512
2. Stanford – 3.427
3. Nebraska – 3.392
4. Springfield – 3.391
5. Navy – 3.355
6. Ohio State – 3.274
7. Minnesota – 3.167
8. Oklahoma – 3.131
9. Iowa – 3.126
10. Penn State – 3.123