BERKELEY – Kent and Pat Newmark presented the 10th annual Newmark Awards Tuesday, recognizing excellence in the classroom among Cal's intercollegiate athletic programs. Given each fall, the Newmark Awards honor teams with the highest cumulative grade-point average from the previous academic year, as well as the team with the most improved GPA.
 
This year, men's cross country, with a 3.261 GPA, and beach volleyball, with a 3.396 GPA, sported the highest GPAs among the men's and women's teams, while women's basketball earned the most improved honor. All three awards include a donation from the Newmarks that the teams can use at their discretion to support their programs.
 
Overall, a record nine of 14 men's teams sported GPAs above 3.0, while 12 of 16 women's programs had GPAs of at least 3.0. Both the men's and women's GPAs are above their five-year averages.
 
In addition to the team winners, runner-up recognition went to tennis (3.223 GPA), soccer (3.223) and gymnastics (3.059) on the men's side, and to golf (3.294) and swimming & diving (3.231) on the women's side.