April 15, 2011

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern football established a program record with a combined team GPA of 3.02 during the winter quarter of 2011, an accomplishment that comes on the heels of a team-record 32 Academic All-Big Ten selections following the fall season.

The Wildcats' 3.02 team GPA last quarter marks the third grading period in the last two years with a cumulative squad average of 3.00 or better. The other instances came in spring quarter of 2009 and winter quarter of 2010.

Northwestern's strong academics always have been a source of pride for the program. In Dec. of 2010, the Wildcats earned their sixth AFCA Academic Achievement Award. NU also was honored by the AFCA in 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2007. Since Big Ten schools first became eligible for the award in 1998, Northwestern has won twice as many times as the next closest programs (Duke and Notre Dame with three).

In terms of Academic All-Big Ten honors, Northwestern has established a program record in every year under head coach Pat Fitzgerald. The total has gone up from a then-school-record 16 in 2006 to the current mark of 32.

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