GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines continued to establish itself as NCAA Division II's premier academic institution in 2015-16, matching its athletic success with historic academic achievement. 

On the field, Mines earned the RMAC All-Sports Cup along with five RMAC regular-season and three RMAC Tournament championships, and men's cross country won the school's first-ever NCAA Division II national championship. In the classroom, Mines student-athletes excelled even further, earning a bevy of accolades while outpacing the academic success of non-student-athletes.

"I'm so impressed by what our student-athletes do academically," said director of athletics David Hansburg. "They face academic challenges unlike any other school in NCAA Division II, and their dedication shows every day with incredible success in competition and in the classroom."

Some academic highlights from 2015-16:

- Mines student-athletes had an average GPA higher than non-athletes in 2015-16, at 3.139 compared to 3.092. The graduation rate for student-athletes was 82% compared to 77% for non-athletes.
- Mines had 11 Academic All-Americans, our most ever in a year, including six first-teamers, also the most ever. Football, with four selections, led the nation with the most Academic All-Americans in their sport.
- Mines won an RMAC-best five Brechler Award winners for best team GPA: men's swimming, baseball, women's outdoor track & field, men's basketball, and football. Men's swimming earned an unprecedented fourth straight honor.
- 13 of Mines' 16 programs held team GPAs of 3.0 or above, led by women's cross country (3.5) and women's track & field (3.45).
- The average team GPA of Mines' five RMAC champion teams: 3.14
- The national champion men's cross country team was named the USTFCCCA Academic Team of the Year with a GPA of 3.18.
- Mines was the top-ranked national university in NCAA Division II by U.S. News at #29 overall, and was one of only two NCAA Division II members named in the top 50 of Business Journal's best American public universities.