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A Colorado backcountry skiing phenom has climbed millions of vertical feet. He's only 13.

SILVERTON — When the pandemic shut down the world in 2020, Griff Pinto was 8 and made a big decision: It was time to go all-in on skiing.  Five years later, the 13-year-old from Silverton is a backcountry skiing phenom, climbing more than 500,000 vertical feet a winter and skiing long lines off remote peaks […]

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A Colorado backcountry skiing phenom has climbed millions of vertical feet. He's only 13.

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SILVERTON — When the pandemic shut down the world in 2020, Griff Pinto was 8 and made a big decision: It was time to go all-in on skiing. 

Five years later, the 13-year-old from Silverton is a backcountry skiing phenom, climbing more than 500,000 vertical feet a winter and skiing long lines off remote peaks that challenge skiers many times his age. Under the careful eye of his dad, Cliff, and mom, Kim, he’s become a social media superstar with helmet-cam videos of his audacious descents. 

Griff’s dad, a longtime volunteer with the San Juan County’s intrepid Silverton Medical Rescue Team, said “it’s taken a village” to hone Griff’s skills and avalanche awareness. 

“There are not a lot of people who are willing to go into the backcountry with a 7-year-old, or even a 13-year-old,” Cliff says. “It’s pretty unique the number of people in this community who have worked with Griff and mentored him and supported our sort of unorthodox parenting. And they’ve mentored me and my wife, too. That support system has really enabled us to take this, like, different path, you know.”

Griff was 9 when he sat his mom and dad down and said he wanted to be homeschooled in the winter, so he could ski more. His folks came up with a program that blends physical training with schoolwork. They’ve made skiing a formal education. 

two avalanche deaths just outside Silverton — and Griff is out there six days a week. 

Sven — Life in Front of the Lens” — last year.)

“A lot of the best advice I’ve gotten is like how to improve my pole plants and other small things to help me get a little bit more forward,” Griff says. “And of course how to land jumps better.”

Micro Groms” two-day avalanche education course for kids ages 9-11. In the spring, as the snowpack settles down, Griff will go out and choose lines to ski and climb them while his dad watches from below.

“We have started giving him more little freedoms like that, just getting him out there and experiencing the decision-making process,” Cliff says. “That’s what we are starting to do but it’s because of what we have built on over several years.”

Cliff hopes that nudging Griff toward good decisions at age 13 will empower him in his 20s with the tools he needs to understand the consequences of a wrong call in unforgiving terrain. 

“We talk about decision-making and voicing opinions, don’t we?” Cliff says.

But a 13-year-old’s brain is not as developed as a grown-up’s brain. So Cliff and other mentors work to keep Griff tuned in. 

“We’ve got crampons and ice axes and we are in no-fall zone terrain and he’s talking about Legos. And we’ll be like, ‘Dude, shut up and focus,’” Cliff says. “Sometimes he’s too comfortable, you know. And I wonder if that’s a good thing. There are a lot of those kinds of grounding moments.”

C. R. Johnson and Tanner Hall in the late 1990s. 

But those guys were older than Griff in their ski-flick debuts. And they weren’t climbing mountains. 

“At MSP we always feature some young kid every couple years but Griff does seem to be a bit of an anomaly,” says Wais, who expects to film Griff at some point. “I have not heard of a kid his age skiing so much vert. I don’t  think anybody has. He’s an inspiring kid and just a shredder.”

Griff, at 60 pounds, is only now ready to graduate from high-end kids’ skis and boots into adult gear. But it’s hard to find quality technical outerwear for kids, so Griff either has to choose between lower quality children’s gear or more technical gear sized extra-small for women.

Even though he’s a bit of a sensation on Instagram, Griff does not have a phone. His folks handle his social media posts and screen online messages. 

“We’re in this weird thing where it’s like he needs to be part of social media to build this brand and have it grow around him, but at the same time, we see how bad it can be for kids on social media in today’s world,” Cliff says. “We want him to be a part of that world … but that’s kind of a thing we are wrestling with right now.”

Griff isn’t really wrestling though. 

“I feel like having a phone is a waste of time,” he says. 

Type of Story: News

Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

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Assignment offer Water polo trainer at DSZ WAVE at X TU Delft

Assignment descriptionAs a trainer you are responsible for providing practice for our Gents 2 and Ladies 1 teams. These teams train on Monday from 22:00 till 23:30 and on Friday from 22:30 till 23:30 in Delft. You are responsible for coming well prepared to the practice and helping the players from both teams further develop […]

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Assignment description
As a trainer you are responsible for providing practice for our Gents 2 and Ladies 1 teams. These teams train on Monday from 22:00 till 23:30 and on Friday from 22:30 till 23:30 in Delft. You are responsible for coming well prepared to the practice and helping the players from both teams further develop their skills within water polo. Your practices are diverse and useful. You can switch well between helping the entire team and giving personal feedback to players. Besides this, it is also the perfect chance for you to develop your coaching skills with teams who can play a decent level of water polo.

Qualities and skills 
X TU Delft and DSW WAVE are looking for a freelancer/agency worker who meets the following profile:

  • You are well known within the sport water polo, and you can pass this knowledge on to others.
  • You have an affinity with our student target group.
  • You have showable experience in giving water polo training. Ideally you can show a KNZB level 1 or 2 training diploma. However, this is something that can be obtained later.
  • You embrace X’s core values: personal, respectful, engaged, freedom, curiosity, collaboration, diversity and inclusivity.
  • You have a good command English language, both spoken and written.
  • You are enthusiastic, flexible and committed.
  • You are available during the practice times as mentioned above.

Terms and rates

  • You are available starting from next academic year. The duration of the assignment is 1 year and has an end date of 30-06-2026
  • The assignment is carried out through the Unique recruitment agency or you will be hired as a freelancer. In accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, agency workers will be classified and the salary will be determined based on experience and qualities. For freelancers, the terms and rates will be established through negotiation.

TU Delft
Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world-class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be enterprising problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. 

At TU Delft, we embrace diversity as one of our core values and are actively committed to being a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities because it makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant, and the world more just. Together, we devise, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

X TU Delft
X is part of TU Delft and welcomes more than 19,000 students and staff annually. At X TU Delft, students have the opportunity to develop themselves personally outside the lecture halls. X offers a range of activities from sports and games to arts and crafts, reflection and lifestyle. Various group lessons offer an accessible way to explore new interests and establish a healthy routine within student life. Inspiring courses create space for deeper exploration and surprising personal growth through newly developed skills. Students eager to share their passions can join one of the many affiliated sports and cultural associations. Those who prefer to play or practise independently can reserve specific spaces to do so. For a more casual experience, various events are organised every month, and Cafe X provides a relaxed and welcoming meeting place with a diverse menu in a cosy atmosphere.

You will be part of a dynamic, international work environment with motivated and enthusiastic students and colleagues. The three pillars – Products, Systems and Communication – jointly enable X’s activities. X employees are known for their strong ambition to contribute to and be part of the personal development of others, particularly students. At the same time, they value their own personal growth and have a strong capacity to learn.

Sports & Games
The Sports & Games cluster falls under the Products pillar and is responsible for programme offerings in ball sports, e-sports, games, strength training, outdoor activities, racket sports, martial arts and water sports. In practice, this translates to the development, realisation and facilitation of group lessons, courses, competitions, events and other initiatives. The team consists of 3 staff members and 1 student employee and works closely with multiple teachers, student instructors and association boards.

DSZ WAVE
DSZ WAVE is the Delft Student Zwem and Water polo Association. Besides these two branches, our triathlon branch is also growing steadily. Every week we have 5 swimming, 1 running, 1 cycling, and 3 water polo practice hours. Our association consists of more than 300 members who often participate in one of these sports. Besides our regular practices our members often try out different sports, and we see each other during our many social activities.

Our water polo branch consists of roughly 40 players in three competitions teams. Besides this there are around 20 beginning water polo players who join the NSWKs (quarterly student competitions) and other summer tournaments. The Gents 1 and beginner teams already have a trainer and coach. 

The TU Delft is the main sponsor of DSZ WAVE and the employer of the teachers/trainers of the associations. The accommodation is, just as the trainers and additional material costs, being facilitated by the TU Delft.

For more information about DSZ WAVE, visit https://dsz-wave.nl/en/.

Contact
For more information about the assignment and DSW WAVE, please contact Paris Treffers, Water Polo Commissioner of DSZ WAVE, via polocommissaris@dsz-wave.nl. Information about X TU Delft can be found at www.tudelft.nl/x.

Procedure
Interested in this assignment? Express your interest by sending your motivation letter and CV before 1 July 2025 to the above email address, mentioning ‘Assignment offer Water polo trainer DSZ WAVE’ in the subject.



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Florida Volleyball To Start 2025 Season With ESPN’s “Shown Down At Net”

Florida Gators Volleyball is set to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels at the first-ever ESPN SEC vs ACC Shriners Children’s “Showdown at the Net” Tournament. This tournament provides an exiting kick off for the 2025 volleyball season with some of the nation’s most historically successful teams. The Gators have not played the Tar […]

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Florida Gators Volleyball is set to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels at the first-ever ESPN SEC vs ACC Shriners Children’s “Showdown at the Net” Tournament. This tournament provides an exiting kick off for the 2025 volleyball season with some of the nation’s most historically successful teams. The Gators have not played the Tar Heels in over 6 years, but they look to continue their dominance and improve their 12-1 all-time record against UNC.

The Gators play on September 9th, and the rest of the tournament runs until the end of the day on September 10th.

2024 Season

Last Season, the Gators had a dominant run. They ended with a 21-7 regular season record and were 11-5 in conference play, landing them third in the SEC. They made it to the NCAA Tournament Regionals before falling to Stanford to end their season. The Gators had a good season but are looking to get back to a championship standard.

2024 marked the last season for legendary coach Mary Wise. In her 34-year tenure, she led the Gators to the national tournament every year. Wise is also a 12-time SEC tournament champion and a 19-time regular-season champ.

She ended her career as a legend at the University of Florida, being the longest tenured coach in school history.

What’s Next

Ryan Theis is coming in as the new head coach, who was an assistant for the UF Volleyball team in 2006 and 2007. He has big shoes to fill, but his last 17 years as head coach at Marquette are nothing to pass over. He is the winningest coach in Marquette history, finishing his career with a 402 and 141 record.

The expectations for next season are the same as they’ve always been. The goal for this team is to win the SEC and compete for a national title. With a new coach coming in, all eyes will be on them to perform.





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Brag House, Florida Gators Athletics, and Learfield Successfully Launch Inaugural Brag Gators …

Brag House Holdings, Inc NEW YORK, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brag House Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TBH), the Gen Z engagement platform at the intersection of gaming, college sports, and digital media, announced the successful launch of the inaugural Brag Gators Gauntlet series. The first activation of this series, in partnership with Florida Gators […]

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Brag House Holdings, Inc

NEW YORK, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brag House Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TBH), the Gen Z engagement platform at the intersection of gaming, college sports, and digital media, announced the successful launch of the inaugural Brag Gators Gauntlet series. The first activation of this series, in partnership with Florida Gators Athletics and Learfield’s Florida Gators Sports Properties, took place online on Saturday, May 17, 2025, ahead of the Gators’ 9–3 college baseball victory over Alabama at Condron Family Ballpark.

The Brag Gators Gauntlet: Baseball Edition featured a Fortnite (private lobbies, no-build) solos tournament and a baseball-inspired scoring format. Open to current students and alumni of both the University of Florida and the University of Alabama, the activation served as a digital gaming tailgate leading into the Florida–Alabama baseball game. The activation, which had capacity for 100 competitors, received nearly 300 gamer registrations ranging from freshman to alumni.

“It was exciting to see so many UF students and alumni participate,” said Lavell Juan Malloy II, CEO and Co-Founder of Brag House. “The activation created a gamified digital tailgate, where they came together around school pride and competition in a Fortnite tournament designed with baseball-themed rules. It added a new layer to game day, especially as the Gators took the series with a commanding 9–3 win.”

Michael Yencik, a third-year student at University of Florida on a pre-med track studying nutritional sciences, was crowned champion of the Brag Gators Gauntlet: Baseball Edition. Competing under the gamertag MrGittyGut, Yencik secured the top spot after consistently high placements across all heats and a standout performance in the final heat. “It was a surreal experience,” said MrGittyGut, when asked about this activation and how it ties into the Gators spirit and college baseball. He added “Gators all the way! We’ve had an unbelievable season, from playing well in football to a National Championship in Basketball. You can’t go wrong with the Gators no matter what.”

The Gauntlet series also reflects Brag House’s broader strategy of integrating Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, loyalty-driven engagement, and scalable digital experiences tailored to Gen Z audiences. This first activation at the University of Florida is what Brag House envisions as the first step in a larger series of campus experiences being planned in collaboration with Learfield, with more activations in the series being planned for select universities across the country in 2025.

“This is the foundation of a broader initiative,” said Lavell Juan Malloy II, CEO and Co-Founder of Brag House. “By merging college sports with interactive digital gaming formats, we’re building a new layer of fan engagement that serves students, alumni, schools, and brand partners alike.”

About Brag House

Brag House is a leading media technology gaming platform dedicated to transforming casual college gaming into a vibrant, community-driven experience. By seamlessly merging gaming, social interaction, and cutting-edge technology, the Company provides an inclusive and engaging environment for casual gamers while enabling brands to authentically connect with the influential Gen Z demographic. The platform offers live-streaming capabilities, gamification features, and custom tournament services, fostering meaningful engagement between users and brands. For more information, please visit www.braghouse.com.

About Learfield

Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.

 Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the execution and prospects of the Brag Gators Gauntlet and Brag House’s and Learfield’s plan to expand the Brag Gauntlet model. For a full discussion of these risks, please refer to Brag House’s SEC filings.

Media Contact: 
Fatema Bhabrawala
Director of Media Relations
fbhabrawala@allianceadvisors.com

Investor Relations Contact: 
Adele Carey
VP, Investor Relations
ir@thebraghouse.com





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Comets, Royals advance to Class 2A championship – Wilkes-Barre Citizens’ Voice

WILKES-BARRE — Jeff Stec knew his Crestwood Comets were going to battle, despite trailing by three in the fifth set to Western Wayne in Thursday’s District 2 Class 2A boys volleyball semifinal. He saw the grit and determination from his group all season, so he knew it was there. The unknown was how his team […]

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WILKES-BARRE — Jeff Stec knew his Crestwood Comets were going to battle, despite trailing by three in the fifth set to Western Wayne in Thursday’s District 2 Class 2A boys volleyball semifinal.

He saw the grit and determination from his group all season, so he knew it was there.

The unknown was how his team would had the pressure of the postseason where one loss ends the year.

The answer was pretty good.

JJ Stec and Tommy McLaughlin combined for four kills in the final set, as the second-seeded Comets won nine of the last 11 points to hold off the third-seeded Wildcats (23-25, 25-18, 18-25, 25-16, 15-11) to advance to Thursday’s championship and secure one of District 2’s berths to the state tournament.

Crestwood will face off with top seed and state-ranked Holy Redeemer, which needed just 56 minutes to sweep past Berwick (25-10, 25-11, 25-12). The Royals also secure their spot in the PIAA Class 2A state tournament with the victory.

The championship will be May 29 at Scranton High School as part of a doubleheader with the Class 3A title game. In the regular season, the Royals swept the Comets (25-22, 25-20, 25-21) on May 6.

“I said all year long that we have never given up, no matter how many points we were down,” Jeff Stec said. “These guys fight and fight. It goes to show that hard work pays off, and we came away as the victor tonight. We are lucky to have the team that we have this year. They’ve put a lot of work in this year.”

How was Crestwood going to respond? That was the question.

Sure, Jeff Stec’s group did a great job throughout the season of finding that second level when matches got tight.

Sure, the Comets found a way to battle back from a 2-1 deficit Thursday to force a fifth set – thanks to seven kills in the fourth by junior JJ Stec.

But with the season on the line, and a race to just 15 points, it’s a different kind of pressure.

“This is a big moment, the district semifinals, it’s huge,” Jeff Stec said. “We’ve never been there before, so I was kind of nervous because of the pressure. But the resiliency of this team is incredible. Coming into the game, I told the guys this is the main one. Yes, we want to win that district championship, and that was our goal from the beginning. But this game was the hardest because this one punches our ticket to states.”

Crestwood took the 6-4 lead in the third set, but Western Wayne rallied on Logan Pauler’s serve, winning five straight points, four of those off kills from John Pyatt, to grab the 9-6 lead.

That’s when the Comets started to inch back. Taking advantage of a service error, attack miscue and a cross-court smash from Eric Rinehimer, Crestwood knotted it at 9-9. Tied at 11-11, Jeff Stec’s boys scored the final four points of the set to clinch the finals berth.

“The fifth set are always tough because you got to get the right rotation because it’s not as long. I thought we had the right rotation, but in the end, they just made more plays than we did,” Western Wayne coach Darren Thorpe said. “We don’t have any regrets. We went out on our own terms.”

Western Wayne jumped out quick in the first set, using a combined 11 kills from Pyatt and Vinny Silon, to grab the 25-23 win. Crestwood jumped out to a 15-6 lead in the second to knot the match at 1-1.

The momentum flipped back to the Wildcat in the third as the Lackawanna League squad used a 10-3 run in the middle portion to stretch out an 18-13 lead before closing it out with two straight Pyatt blasts.

Holy Redeemer 3, Berwick 0: This is the moment Holy Redeemer (30-5) has been preparing for all year.

This is where those trips to the Northeastern Tournament and Exeter Tournament come into play. It’s all in the preparation for this stretch of the postseason.

It doesn’t hurt when you have one of the top, if not the best, Class 2A player in the state.

Senior Josh Rocha finished with 31 kills, and Hayden Fleegle was dominating behind the service line with 28 points as the Royals pushed past the Bulldogs.

“We’ve been at this level since the Exeter Tournament. That’s where we got a lot of good experience against quality teams,” Redeemer coach Jack Kablick said. “In the Northeastern Tournament with 40 teams in it, we did great in that one, too. We’ve played a lot of good teams throughout the state from Pittsburgh to Wilkes-Barre, and everyone in between.”

It’s always been the mantra of Kablick to play the toughest schedule possible to prepare for the state bracket.

While the Royals will carry a 12-match winning streak into next week’s championship, which includes dropping just one set against District 2 competition — a 25-23 game to Abington Heights — Redeemer has really pushed itself in the nonconference.

Those five losses? Exeter Township, Dallastown, Hempfield, York Suburban and Ambridge — all teams highly-regarded in the state.

“We’ve seen a lot of good players and a lot of good programs, so we are kind of prepped for this right now,” Kablick said. “This is like the stretch run. We are starting to peak right now, but you don’t want to do it too early. If you peak too early, you are in trouble.”

Berwick struggled to keep away from the big runs.

Redeemer jumped out to a 14-1 lead in the first set, led by as much as 12 in the second, and scored 12 of the first 16 points to start the third.

“Having one of the best players in the state doesn’t hurt, either,” Kablick said of Rocha. “The last time I looked, he was ranked as the second-best player in the state in Class 2A. It’s deserved. The chemistry is just so good this year. It was good last year, but it’s different. It’s a tight team.”

Jack Wasiakowski ended with 32 assists, Koirey Tang added eight kills and seven blocks, and Max Mohutsky finished with 11 digs.

District 2 Class 2A Quarterfinals

Wilkes-Barre Area 3, Scranton 0: At The Den, Tijan Njai had nine digs and 28 assists, while Reylie Ramirez had three aces and 10 kills to lead Wilkes-Barre Area over Scranton in the District 2 Class 3A quarterfinals Thursday night.

Wilkes-Barre Area, the No. 3 seed, will face Abington Heights, the No. 2 seed, in the semifinals on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Delaware Valley High School.

Joseph Rea had 14 service points and 15 digs for the Wolfpack.

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Justin Osterhouse has historic day with 4 homers, walk-off grand slam — and a win on the mound

Baseball May 22, 2025 Justin Osterhouse has historic day with 4 homers, walk-off grand slam — and a win on the mound May 22, 2025 Michella Chester breaks down a monumental day both at the plate and on the mound for Purdue Fort Wayne’s Justin Osterhouse. Osterhouse helped power the Mastodons to a 21-17 come-from-behind […]

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Baseball

May 22, 2025

Justin Osterhouse has historic day with 4 homers, walk-off grand slam — and a win on the mound

May 22, 2025

Michella Chester breaks down a monumental day both at the plate and on the mound for Purdue Fort Wayne’s Justin Osterhouse. Osterhouse helped power the Mastodons to a 21-17 come-from-behind win with four homers — including a walk-off grand slam — and the pitching win.



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Boise State Athletics

Football sets all-time record for both cumulative and single-semester  BOISE, Idaho – Boise State student-athletes set another record during the 2025 spring semester by establishing an all-department cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.46, the highest GPA in department history. The Broncos also turned in an all-department single-semester GPA of 3.39, which is the best spring […]

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Football sets all-time record for both cumulative and single-semester 

BOISE, Idaho – Boise State student-athletes set another record during the 2025 spring semester by establishing an all-department cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.46, the highest GPA in department history. The Broncos also turned in an all-department single-semester GPA of 3.39, which is the best spring semester in department history. 

“These achievements are a direct reflection of the discipline and dedication our student-athletes bring to both their academic and athletic pursuits,” said Gabe Rosenvall, Associate Athletic Director, Student-Athlete Academic Services. “Setting a new department GPA record is no small feat, and to see programs like women’s basketball, football and volleyball reaching historic highs shows how deeply committed our teams are to excellence across the board.”

As a department, all 18 sport programs secured a 3.0 GPA or higher, 87% of all student-athletes earned a 3.0 GPA or higher, and 70 student-athletes secured a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Three sports programs established GPA milestones. Women’s basketball set a team record with a 3.82 cumulative GPA, the second best in department history. Football set an all-time single-semester record with a 3.22 GPA which translates to 81% of football student-athletes receiving a 3.0 GPA or higher and volleyball tied their record with a 3.55 cumulative GPA.

“Boise State Athletics fosters an environment where academic success is not only possible—but expected and supported,” said Roger Munger, Professor, Department of Writing Studies at Boise State and NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative. “These results reflect their ongoing commitment to advising, mentoring, and helping student-athletes manage the demands of their dual roles. When every team earns above a 3.0 and programs like football, volleyball, and women’s basketball post record-setting GPAs, it demonstrates a culture that values education and growth.”



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