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Florida State’s student-athletes aren’t just competing at a high level on the field. They’re excelling academically, too.
In fact, it's time to update the department's record book.
“We’ve set records almost every semester,” Dr. Mike Brady, a FSU baseball player (1987-90) who has served as the university's faculty athletics representative since 2021 and is a longtime professor of Marketing in the College of Business, told the Tallahassee Democrat.
“Over the last two years, every single semester has produced a new GPA record. At the end of the fall semester, the cumulative GPA across the entire athletics program was 3.36.”
It’s a figure that would have seemed almost unimaginable not long ago — and even Brady admits it’s a dramatic shift from his own days as a Seminoles left-handed pitcher who appeared in 56 games and went 11-3 with seven saves and a 2.85 ERA.
So what changed?
More: How Charlie Ward, after White House summit, would fix college sports
According to Brady, it starts with expectations.
“There are a few big reasons,” he said. “First, the coaching staffs take academics very seriously. That hasn’t always been true everywhere — or even throughout our own history — but it absolutely is now. Coaches hold student-athletes accountable in the classroom.”
Just as important, Brady said, is the university’s growing financial investment in academic infrastructure — an effort that has quietly transformed how athletes are supported from the moment they arrive on campus.
“The other major factor is resources,” Brady said. “The university and the athletics department have invested heavily in academic support. We now have two full floors in the Moore Athletics Center dedicated to it. Every team has at least two academic staff members assigned to it. Football, obviously, has even more support due to the size of the roster.”
That level of staffing represents a seismic shift from nearly four decades ago.
“When I was a student-athlete, there were two academic advisors for the entire athletic department,” Brady said. “That was it. Now it’s two per team, plus tutors, mentors and designated academic assistants — even for sports with smaller roster sizes.”
Athletes also receive help earlier than ever before. Summer bridge programs are designed to ease the transition from high school to college, helping students adjust academically before the demands of competition ramp up.
“That didn’t exist when I was here,” Brady said. “At this point, we’ve thought of nearly every possible way to support student-athletes — and we’re doing it.”
The results show up clearly in the data.
The spring semester grade-point average of 3.46 marked the highest single-term figure in department history, breaking the fall semester GPA of 3.33, and giving athletics a cumulative GPA of 3.338. Eighteen teams had a GPA over 3.0, with women's golf (3.857) and men's tennis (3.584) leading the way. Approximately 368 student-athletes out of 483 had GPAs of 3.0 or higher.
This past fall, 16 teams set individual GPA records during the semester, including baseball, which had never done so before. All but one team finished with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, with men’s basketball narrowly missing the mark at 2.98.
Historically, FSU sports have produced two Rhodes Scholars in shot putter Garrett Johnson (2005) and football player Myron Rolle (2009), in addition to 60 conference Scholar Athletes of the Year.
“The results are stellar,” Brady said. “My biggest challenge isn’t improving academic performance — it’s getting people to understand how well these student-athletes are actually doing.”
More: Former FSU star Myron Rolle, now a doctor, part of global disaster response team in Bahamas
That success extends beyond semester GPA totals.
Despite the turbulence of the modern transfer era, FSU posted an all-time high 93% Graduation Success Rate (GSR) — the NCAA’s preferred measure because it accounts for students who transfer in or out.
“Transfers do create challenges,” Brady said. “But if you look at the GSR — which adjusts for transfers — we set an all-time high.”
The number is higher than the overall student-body average at FSU and above national NCAA norms.
“It really is incredible,” Brady said. “And most people have no idea.”
A major reason, he said, is the deliberate separation between athletics and academics.
“People sometimes forget that academic support no longer reports to athletics,” Brady said. “They report to the undergraduate dean. That separation is intentional — and real.”
Athletics staff members are not allowed to contact faculty directly. Brady serves as the liaison, helping student-athletes navigate academic concerns without even the appearance of athletic influence.
“It protects everyone,” he said. “There’s no blurred line.”
Brady is physically based inside the student-athlete academic support suite — by design.
“The provost wanted me visible and accessible,” he said, “so if student-athletes have questions about faculty, expectations or just need advice, I’m there.”
Even the NIL era has introduced expectations, too. In today’s college sports landscape, missing tutoring or academic obligations can come with financial penalties — similar to professional sports fines. It’s not about punishment; it’s about reinforcing responsibility.
“That accountability matters," Brady said. "It’s often more effective than conditioning or extra workouts. You feel it immediately.”
Taken together, the investments, structure and expectations have reshaped the academic culture of FSU athletics — producing results that Brady believes deserve far more attention.
“These student-athletes are killing it,” Brady said. “People just need to know.”
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU student-athletes achieve record academic success
Continue reading...
In fact, it's time to update the department's record book.
“We’ve set records almost every semester,” Dr. Mike Brady, a FSU baseball player (1987-90) who has served as the university's faculty athletics representative since 2021 and is a longtime professor of Marketing in the College of Business, told the Tallahassee Democrat.
“Over the last two years, every single semester has produced a new GPA record. At the end of the fall semester, the cumulative GPA across the entire athletics program was 3.36.”
It’s a figure that would have seemed almost unimaginable not long ago — and even Brady admits it’s a dramatic shift from his own days as a Seminoles left-handed pitcher who appeared in 56 games and went 11-3 with seven saves and a 2.85 ERA.
So what changed?
More: How Charlie Ward, after White House summit, would fix college sports
FSU academic achievements in athletics tied to expectations
According to Brady, it starts with expectations.
“There are a few big reasons,” he said. “First, the coaching staffs take academics very seriously. That hasn’t always been true everywhere — or even throughout our own history — but it absolutely is now. Coaches hold student-athletes accountable in the classroom.”
Just as important, Brady said, is the university’s growing financial investment in academic infrastructure — an effort that has quietly transformed how athletes are supported from the moment they arrive on campus.
“The other major factor is resources,” Brady said. “The university and the athletics department have invested heavily in academic support. We now have two full floors in the Moore Athletics Center dedicated to it. Every team has at least two academic staff members assigned to it. Football, obviously, has even more support due to the size of the roster.”
That level of staffing represents a seismic shift from nearly four decades ago.
“When I was a student-athlete, there were two academic advisors for the entire athletic department,” Brady said. “That was it. Now it’s two per team, plus tutors, mentors and designated academic assistants — even for sports with smaller roster sizes.”
Athletes also receive help earlier than ever before. Summer bridge programs are designed to ease the transition from high school to college, helping students adjust academically before the demands of competition ramp up.
“That didn’t exist when I was here,” Brady said. “At this point, we’ve thought of nearly every possible way to support student-athletes — and we’re doing it.”
The results show up clearly in the data.
The spring semester grade-point average of 3.46 marked the highest single-term figure in department history, breaking the fall semester GPA of 3.33, and giving athletics a cumulative GPA of 3.338. Eighteen teams had a GPA over 3.0, with women's golf (3.857) and men's tennis (3.584) leading the way. Approximately 368 student-athletes out of 483 had GPAs of 3.0 or higher.
This past fall, 16 teams set individual GPA records during the semester, including baseball, which had never done so before. All but one team finished with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, with men’s basketball narrowly missing the mark at 2.98.
Historically, FSU sports have produced two Rhodes Scholars in shot putter Garrett Johnson (2005) and football player Myron Rolle (2009), in addition to 60 conference Scholar Athletes of the Year.
“The results are stellar,” Brady said. “My biggest challenge isn’t improving academic performance — it’s getting people to understand how well these student-athletes are actually doing.”
More: Former FSU star Myron Rolle, now a doctor, part of global disaster response team in Bahamas
FSU academics striving in modern transfer era
That success extends beyond semester GPA totals.
Despite the turbulence of the modern transfer era, FSU posted an all-time high 93% Graduation Success Rate (GSR) — the NCAA’s preferred measure because it accounts for students who transfer in or out.
“Transfers do create challenges,” Brady said. “But if you look at the GSR — which adjusts for transfers — we set an all-time high.”
The number is higher than the overall student-body average at FSU and above national NCAA norms.
“It really is incredible,” Brady said. “And most people have no idea.”
A major reason, he said, is the deliberate separation between athletics and academics.
“People sometimes forget that academic support no longer reports to athletics,” Brady said. “They report to the undergraduate dean. That separation is intentional — and real.”
Athletics staff members are not allowed to contact faculty directly. Brady serves as the liaison, helping student-athletes navigate academic concerns without even the appearance of athletic influence.
“It protects everyone,” he said. “There’s no blurred line.”
Brady is physically based inside the student-athlete academic support suite — by design.
“The provost wanted me visible and accessible,” he said, “so if student-athletes have questions about faculty, expectations or just need advice, I’m there.”
Even the NIL era has introduced expectations, too. In today’s college sports landscape, missing tutoring or academic obligations can come with financial penalties — similar to professional sports fines. It’s not about punishment; it’s about reinforcing responsibility.
“That accountability matters," Brady said. "It’s often more effective than conditioning or extra workouts. You feel it immediately.”
Taken together, the investments, structure and expectations have reshaped the academic culture of FSU athletics — producing results that Brady believes deserve far more attention.
“These student-athletes are killing it,” Brady said. “People just need to know.”
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU student-athletes achieve record academic success
Continue reading...
