Texas Tech student-athletes shattered academic records, achieving department-best GPAs and proving that athletic success fuels classroom excellence.
Turns out the Red Raiders aren’t just winning on the field, they’re absolutely cleaning up in the classroom, too.
Texas Tech Athletics announced its fall academic results on Wednesday, and the numbers read as something pulled straight from a coach’s preseason wish list.
Across more than 375 student-athletes, Texas Tech posted a 3.49 fall term GPA, the highest in department history and a full tenth of a point better than the previous record set just one year ago.
If that wasn’t enough, the surge also pushed the cumulative GPA to 3.48, another all-time high.
This marks the 22nd consecutive semester that Texas Tech student-athletes have finished with a department GPA of 3.0 or higher, a streak that’s quietly become one of the most impressive runs in college athletics.
All 13 athletic programs finished above that benchmark this fall, with six teams - baseball, football, men’s tennis, women’s basketball, softball, and women’s track and field - posting the highest term GPA in their program’s history.
Men’s tennis led the way with a stellar 3.79 GPA, followed closely by soccer (3.74) and women’s basketball (3.70). Volleyball, softball, track and field, and both golf programs all cruised comfortably past the 3.5 mark. Even football ... yes, that football ... recorded a program-best 3.23 GPA.
That academic growth mirrors what’s happened on the field under Joey McGuire. Over four seasons, the Red Raiders haven’t just raised expectations, they’ve met them, culminating in Texas Tech’s first Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff appearance this season.
Winning and studying, it turns out, are not mutually exclusive.
Eight programs also set all-time highs in cumulative GPA, with soccer continuing to pace the department at an eye-popping 3.80. Men’s tennis, volleyball, softball, women’s track and field, women’s basketball, men’s golf, and women’s tennis all joined them in rewriting the academic record book.
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping stat of all? There are 110 student-athletes, nearly 29 percent of the department, who posted a perfect 4.0 GPA.
That’s the highest percentage in Texas Tech history. Meanwhile, 82 percent of all student-athletes finished with at least a 3.0 GPA, tying another all-time record.
Texas Tech’s student-athletes are supported by the Marsha Sharp Center, which serves as an academic command center from enrollment through graduation.
At fall commencement, 27 student-athletes across seven sports earned their degrees at ceremonies held inside United Supermarkets Arena. The graduating group finished their careers with a combined 3.43 GPA, proof that finishing strong still matters.
For current and future Red Raiders, the takeaway is simple and actionable ... the blueprint works. Show up. Use the resources. Manage time like a pro. Compete everywhere.
Because at Texas Tech right now, excellence isn’t just about wins and trophies ... it’s about transcripts, tassels, and doing the work when no one’s watching.