Christendom College Wins 2025 USCAA President’s Cup for Academic Excellence in Athletics

Christendom College has once again proven that excellence on the field can go hand in hand with achievement in the classroom. This week, the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) announced Christendom as the winner of the 2025 President’s Cup, a prestigious award recognizing the top academic-performing athletic department in the association. It marks the college’s fourth President’s Cup win in the past six years, reaffirming its position as a national leader in student-athlete academic performance.

Patrick Quest, Christendom Athletics Director and Joe Dotson, Assistant Athletic Director and Sports Information Director

The award is given annually to the institution whose athletic program stands out in three key areas: department-wide GPA, number of Academic All-American student-athletes, and GPA rankings against other USCAA institutions. Christendom’s 2024-25 season results were exceptional. The school’s varsity sports teams averaged a 3.51 GPA, led by a standout senior class that achieved a remarkable 3.61 average GPA.

Forty Christendom student-athletes earned the title of USCAA National Academic All-American, a distinction awarded to athletes maintaining a 3.5 or higher GPA while participating in varsity sports. This feat illustrates the dedication and balance required of Christendom athletes, who continue to meet high expectations both academically and athletically.

Among the standout Academic All-Americans were Cate Brezinsky, Regina Cousino, Beatrice Stanford, Bernadette Eidem, Mary Pennefather, and Catherine Thomas—each of whom competed in multiple varsity sports, including women’s soccer and basketball. Others such as Libby Kolesar (women’s cross country and basketball) and Miranda and Serena Keller also earned multiple sports honors, showcasing the College’s multi-talented student body.

Notably, members of Christendom’s men’s rugby team, which competes outside of the USCAA, were also recognized for their academic achievements. Players including Jude Burkett, John Gunthorpe, Thomas Humm, and Frank Woltering qualified for Academic All-American honors, further highlighting the College’s across-the-board commitment to academic discipline.

Beyond the classroom, Christendom Athletics had a banner year. The women’s basketball team captured its second consecutive national championship title, while the women’s soccer team earned national runner-up honors. The men’s rugby team also made an impressive showing, competing in the National Collegiate Rugby National Championship Tournament.

The USCAA President’s Cup is decided by a committee that assigns points based on program-wide GPA, the number of Academic All-Americans, and how schools rank compared to others. Christendom’s consistently high performance in these areas reflects its institutional commitment to forming student-athletes who pursue excellence in every aspect of their education.

Since the award was first introduced in 2018, Christendom has never placed below third, finishing in the top three every year. This consistency underscores a long-standing culture that values intellectual rigor as highly as athletic success.

To learn more about Christendom Athletics and view the full academic and athletic profiles of their student-athletes, visit christendomathletics.com.