Eagles finish fourth overall in the 2008-09 Presidents’ Cup standings

Eastern Washington University’s 3.22 grade point average as an athletics department was the best among all Big Sky Conference institutions for the 2008-09 school year. In fact, three of Eastern’s athletics teams were among the top five in the conference.

The top GPA among all league schools was posted by EWU’s women’s golf team, who had a cumulative 3.59 GPA. The volleyball squad was third with a 3.52 GPA and the women’s cross country team was in a fourth-place tie with a 3.51 GPA. On the men’s side, Eastern Washington’s cross country squad placed first with a 3.43 GPA.

Montana State posted the second-highest cumulative GPA, 3.20, while Weber State was third at 3.18. Seven of the nine league institutions finished with a GPA of 3.00 or better.

In the overall Sterling Savings Bank Presidents’ Cup standings, which combines academic performances with athletic, Eastern Washington placed fourth, marking the fifth time in the seven years the award has been given that the Eagles have attained a top-four finish.

Weber State took the overall crown for the fourth time in seven years. Montana placed second, and Northern Arizona was third.

The Presidents’ Cup is unique to collegiate athletics in that it reinforces the Big Sky’s dedication to the academic side of the student-athlete experience. Team grade point averages, graduation rates and number of All-Conference performers with a grade point average above 3.0 are used to determine the academic side of the equation.

Meanwhile, athletic points are determined by regular-season standings for football, soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s tennis. Finishes in the Big Sky Championships for men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, and golf are also used to determine points.