Kayleigh Heckel is one smart Husky

[Brewski]

K9 is in very good company with Maya Moore, the only other UConn player to win this award. K9 fits so seamlessly into the UConn culture, and she's a very good basketball player to boot.

Kayleigh Heckel Earns NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award - University of Connecticut Athletics

UConn women's basketball sophomore Kayleigh Heckel was selected as the recipient of the 2026 NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award for women's basketball.

admin.uconnhuskies.com

 

[PJCLaw]

K9 is in very good company with Maya Moore, the only other UConn player to win this award. K9 fits so seamlessly into the UConn culture, and she's a very good basketball player to boot.

Kayleigh Heckel Earns NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award - University of Connecticut Athletics

UConn women's basketball sophomore Kayleigh Heckel was selected as the recipient of the 2026 NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award for women's basketball.

admin.uconnhuskies.com

Congratulations K9! Wow, a team of scholars. Just imagine if freshmen were eligible because Blanca had a 4.0 last semester, so she surely would have won the award.

 

[psconn]

3.967 GPA 😳
But can she play the drums?

 

[ucmiami2]

Very cool award!

 

[Phil]

 

[oldude]

This is wonderful news. But I’m a little confused. How exactly do you earn a 3.967 GPA. It’s certainly not the average for a conventional conversion, i.e. A=4, B=3, etc. It would have to be some sort of multi-point grade scale that either assigns numbers to + and - grades, or it’s completely numerical in some fashion, ultimately converting to a 4.0 scale.

Perhaps Kayleigh can help me figure it out… 😉

 

[and one]

I'm always amazed that some student athletes can manage to both put in the time required to participate in their sport and to put in the time and work to do well on the academic side. Kayleigh's major isn't an easy road to follow. From what I've just read about it, the graduates are in demand and starting pay is high.

 

[bayern7]

This is wonderful news. But I’m a little confused. How exactly do you earn a 3.967 GPA. It’s certainly not the average for a conventional conversion, i.e. A=4, B=3, etc. It would have to be some sort of multi-point grade scale that either assigns numbers to + and - grades, or it’s completely numerical in some fashion, ultimately converting to a 4.0 scale.

Perhaps Kayleigh can help me figure it out… 😉

As a somewhat recent UConn grad, the 3.967 is her cumulative GPA, including her classes transferred from USC, and applied to her UConn degree. So as a Sophomore who’s had 3 semesters (her Spring semester is still in progress and wouldn’t be applied to her GPA yet). She probably has straight A’s in nearly all her classes, and then one A-.

 

[browns]

Good for her..job well done

 

[CONNCAN]

That's a Port Chester girl for you. Way to go K9

 

[fireford]

This is wonderful news. But I’m a little confused. How exactly do you earn a 3.967 GPA. It’s certainly not the average for a conventional conversion, i.e. A=4, B=3, etc. It would have to be some sort of multi-point grade scale that either assigns numbers to + and - grades, or it’s completely numerical in some fashion, ultimately converting to a 4.0 scale.

Perhaps Kayleigh can help me figure it out… 😉

A couple of things to keep in mind:

-Not all courses are the same amount of credits. A one credit course may be calculated into the GPA differently than a 3 credit course.
-All grades may not be a clean 3.0, 4.0, etc. A B- may be a 2.7, a B+ may be a 3.3+, etc.

Above are two reasons among possible others that may make the GPA calculation a little more convoluted.

 

[Bigboote]

This is wonderful news. But I’m a little confused. How exactly do you earn a 3.967 GPA. It’s certainly not the average for a conventional conversion, i.e. A=4, B=3, etc. It would have to be some sort of multi-point grade scale that either assigns numbers to + and - grades, or it’s completely numerical in some fashion, ultimately converting to a 4.0 scale.

Perhaps Kayleigh can help me figure it out… 😉

Most schools have had + and - grades for some time. So an A- is 3.7 a B+ 3.3 etc. 33 thousandths from a 4.0 does seem a bit odd, I agree. I’m on it and will post if I can come up with a reasonable scenario.

Analytics and Information Management soinds like a pretty time-consuming major; goob on her for not only attempting that but excelling.

ETA: 3.967 could be 36 credits with one hour an A- or 84 hours with one hour a B+ (or something between with two hours A-).

 

[OldVet]

Most schools have had + and - grades for some time. So an A- is 3.7 a B+ 3.3 etc. 33 thousandths from a 4.0 does seem a bit odd, I agree. I’m on it and will post if I can come up with a reasonable scenario.

Analytics and Information Management soinds like a pretty time-consuming major; goob on her for not only attempting that but excelling.

ETA: 3.967 could be 36 credits with one hour an A- or 84 hours with one hour a B+ (or something between with two hours A-).

Example:
Assume 45 credits over a three semesters:

Semester	Credits	Grades	Points	Semester GPA
Semester 1	15	All A's	60.0	4.00
Semester 2	15	All A's	60.0	4.00
Semester 3	15	10 Credits (A) + 5 Credits (A-)	58.5	3.90
Cumulative	45	178.5	3.967

 

[Bone Dog]

But can she play the drums?

Reminds me of a joke about writing recommendations for students. If you say, “She walks on water,” the person on the other end may ask, “But can she swim?”

 

[CL82]

First, this board is hysterical that we feel compelled to figure out how Heckel got to her particular grade point average. And I mean that with affection, but it does crack me up.

Second, I really enjoy how well-rounded the kids on the team are. We follow them for their athletic prowess, but I love that they are complete individuals and successful in many areas. I don't know about the rest of you, but that beats my grade point average, and I wasn't balancing academics against the demands of participating in high major athletics.

 

[CL82]

Reminds me of a joke about writing recommendations for students. If you say, “She walks on water,” the person on the other end may ask, “But can she swim?”

Maya Moore reference.

 

[Bone Dog]

Maya Moore reference.

Do go on

 

[rubymae4]

Not all courses are the same amount of credits. A one credit course may be calculated into the GPA differently than a 3 credit course.
-All grades may not be a clean 3.0, 4.0, etc. A B- may be a 2.7, a B+ may be a 3.3+, etc.

(Past UConn professor here…let me teach about UConn GPAs….)

Undergraduate grades at UConn run from a (4.0) down: 3.7 (A-), 3.3 (B+), 3.0 (B) and so on.
BUT! Some undergraduate courses (not graduate) allow students to earn higher than a A (4.0), basically an A+ (4.3). There are some guidelines around this, but just know this is possible.

Grades are “weighted” by a course’s credit hours meaning the calculated semester or overall GPA is influenced more by grades in classes with a higher number of credit hours. Most classes are from 1 to 5 credit hours which is determined by the breadth and depth of the course’s objectives (a 5 credit class meets longer each week, covers more, and has more expectations than a 1 credit class). An average course is 3 credits.

In order to be considered a full-time student (required by NCAA), a undergraduate student needs to be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours/semester (Fall and Spring semesters, basically end of August through beginning of May). As I understand it, many athletes load up on credits during the summer sessions (May through August) to reduce the number of credits they need to take during the regular school year while competing. Although students still need a minimum of 12 credit hours in Fall and Spring semesters. UConn requires at least 120 credit hours to graduate.

At the graduate level, there are no “above A” grades allowed. Full-time grad students need to be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours.

 

[Bigboote]

Example:
Assume 45 credits over a three semesters:

Semester	Credits	Grades	Points	Semester GPA
Semester 1	15	All A's	60.0	4.00
Semester 2	15	All A's	60.0	4.00
Semester 3	15	10 Credits (A) + 5 Credits (A-)	58.5	3.90
Cumulative	45	178.5	3.967

Oops! I mis-typed; I was figuring one (four-credit) course, not one hour. 🤬

 

[Bigboote]

First, this board is hysterical that we feel compelled to figure out how Heckel got to her particular grade point average. And I mean that with affection, but it does crack me up.

Speaking for myself, I just like to calculate stuff. 😜

 

[fomalhaut]

I had it figured as 29 (4.0) A's and 1 (3.0) B, possibly a B in a two-credit course out of 60 credits so far. If fractional grades are possible, there are many more possibilities.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

This is wonderful news. But I’m a little confused. How exactly do you earn a 3.967 GPA. It’s certainly not the average for a conventional conversion, i.e. A=4, B=3, etc. It would have to be some sort of multi-point grade scale that either assigns numbers to + and - grades, or it’s completely numerical in some fashion, ultimately converting to a 4.0 scale.

Perhaps Kayleigh can help me figure it out… 😉

Before I came to my senses and got out of premed I pulled a 3.96. The sciences can get real picky in a minutae sort of way.

 

[DefenseBB]

I feel like this is redundant...we knew she was smart when she entered the portal last year and chose UConn...

 

[Zarathustra]

K9 does not "dog it" in the classroom! Well Done!
Does that GPA qualify her up with Border Collies?

 

[Sargassoc]

This is wonderful news. But I’m a little confused. How exactly do you earn a 3.967 GPA. It’s certainly not the average for a conventional conversion, i.e. A=4, B=3, etc. It would have to be some sort of multi-point grade scale that either assigns numbers to + and - grades, or it’s completely numerical in some fashion, ultimately converting to a 4.0 scale.

Perhaps Kayleigh can help me figure it out… 😉

If grades are given numerically, it's easy to get an "odd" (but not necessarily odd) number.

 

[Blond D.]

Most kids who are really into sports in Jr. High and High school learn early how to manage their time.

 

[packwrap]

Great to see! No slouch of a major either with
Business: Analytics & Information Management.

A rounded 4.0🥰 dealing with 2 schools and top basketball is impressive! I bet she studies like she plays, full speed.

Perhaps she will be the one who can fully explain advanced stats. 🤓

 

[BBallF]

K9 is in very good company with Maya Moore, the only other UConn player to win this award. K9 fits so seamlessly into the UConn culture, and she's a very good basketball player to boot.

Kayleigh Heckel Earns NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award - University of Connecticut Athletics

UConn women's basketball sophomore Kayleigh Heckel was selected as the recipient of the 2026 NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award for women's basketball.

admin.uconnhuskies.com

Very impressive. Great kid who is a joy to watch. Next year we will have a special statistic for number of dives on the floor per game just for her.

 

[Golden Husky]

As a somewhat recent UConn grad, the 3.967 is her cumulative GPA, including her classes transferred from USC, and applied to her UConn degree. So as a Sophomore who’s had 3 semesters (her Spring semester is still in progress and wouldn’t be applied to her GPA yet). She probably has straight A’s in nearly all her classes, and then one A-.

A-! I'm also told that on Nov. 14, 2022, she forgot to floss.

 

[Jackcatscal]

Reminds me of a joke about writing recommendations for students. If you say, “She walks on water,” the person on the other end may ask, “But can she swim?”

"She walks on water..."

"But does she leave footprints?"

"But does she scare the fish?"