Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
NU teams score high in NCAA graduation report
By JEFF SHELDON
January 11, 2006
The Nebraska Athletic Department learned last month that its teams passed a major test with flying colors.
University of Nebraska teams earned outstanding marks for the most part when the NCAA released its first Graduation Success Rate report in December.
The GSR is a new way for the NCAA to measure academic progress by including transfer student data in its graduation statistics. Under the NCAA’s old method, called the Academic Progress Rate, students who transferred from a school or left school early counted against the school’s APR score, regardless of the athlete’s academic standing at the time of the transfer or when they left school.
Schools that fail to meet NCAA standards may be subject to loss of scholarships beginning next year and even harsher penalties, such as banishment from postseason play, in 2007-2008.
“The GSR scores are a more accurate reflection of a school’s graduation success, and like the Nebraska Athletic Department has done with all new academic standards and rates, we will evaluate the results and work to improve,” said Dennis Leblanc, NU’s Associate Athletic Director for Academic Programs and Student Services, in an athletic department release.
According to the report, five NU teams boasted 100 percent graduation rates. The volleyball, women’s basketball, women’s golf, women’s tennis and rifle teams graduated all of its student athletes who enrolled from 1995-98.
“It shows our players are here to graduate,” NU volleyball Coach John Cook said. “To them, that’s just as important as the volleyball part.
“They came here because they’re very motivated, and they want to be good students.”
The Husker football team also excelled in the classroom, graduating 85 percent of its players. That mark rated second in the Big 12 Conference, behind only Baylor, and was 20 points better than the national average.
When the NCAA released its initial APR report last year, both the NU men’s tennis and baseball teams were notified their scores were below the minimum standard of 925. According to the release, the tennis team now boasts a graduation rate of 85 percent, one of the highest among men’s sports at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Results for all sports will be released later this month.
“We are extremely pleased with the five teams who had 100 percent graduation success rates,” Leblanc said in the release, “and it is good to see our football graduation success rate near the top of all teams competing in bowl games.”
Nebraska ranked seventh out of 56 teams that appeared in bowl games this season.
Cook gave much of the credit for his team’s high mark to NU’s academic support staff, which works closely with UNL faculty in coordinating schedules for Nebraska’s athletes.
NU’s trip to the volleyball Final Four in San Antonio coincided with finals week, but players were able to find time to finish and turn in their exams without trouble.
Cook said he was grateful for the cohesiveness between the academic support staff and UNL faculty – a cooperation he hasn’t always experienced at other coaching stops.
“It’s huge in recruiting and especially with recruiting parents,” Cook said. “Anyone can say they have support, but we have the awards to prove that.”
By JEFF SHELDON
January 11, 2006
The Nebraska Athletic Department learned last month that its teams passed a major test with flying colors.
University of Nebraska teams earned outstanding marks for the most part when the NCAA released its first Graduation Success Rate report in December.
The GSR is a new way for the NCAA to measure academic progress by including transfer student data in its graduation statistics. Under the NCAA’s old method, called the Academic Progress Rate, students who transferred from a school or left school early counted against the school’s APR score, regardless of the athlete’s academic standing at the time of the transfer or when they left school.
Schools that fail to meet NCAA standards may be subject to loss of scholarships beginning next year and even harsher penalties, such as banishment from postseason play, in 2007-2008.
“The GSR scores are a more accurate reflection of a school’s graduation success, and like the Nebraska Athletic Department has done with all new academic standards and rates, we will evaluate the results and work to improve,” said Dennis Leblanc, NU’s Associate Athletic Director for Academic Programs and Student Services, in an athletic department release.
According to the report, five NU teams boasted 100 percent graduation rates. The volleyball, women’s basketball, women’s golf, women’s tennis and rifle teams graduated all of its student athletes who enrolled from 1995-98.
“It shows our players are here to graduate,” NU volleyball Coach John Cook said. “To them, that’s just as important as the volleyball part.
“They came here because they’re very motivated, and they want to be good students.”
The Husker football team also excelled in the classroom, graduating 85 percent of its players. That mark rated second in the Big 12 Conference, behind only Baylor, and was 20 points better than the national average.
When the NCAA released its initial APR report last year, both the NU men’s tennis and baseball teams were notified their scores were below the minimum standard of 925. According to the release, the tennis team now boasts a graduation rate of 85 percent, one of the highest among men’s sports at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Results for all sports will be released later this month.
“We are extremely pleased with the five teams who had 100 percent graduation success rates,” Leblanc said in the release, “and it is good to see our football graduation success rate near the top of all teams competing in bowl games.”
Nebraska ranked seventh out of 56 teams that appeared in bowl games this season.
Cook gave much of the credit for his team’s high mark to NU’s academic support staff, which works closely with UNL faculty in coordinating schedules for Nebraska’s athletes.
NU’s trip to the volleyball Final Four in San Antonio coincided with finals week, but players were able to find time to finish and turn in their exams without trouble.
Cook said he was grateful for the cohesiveness between the academic support staff and UNL faculty – a cooperation he hasn’t always experienced at other coaching stops.
“It’s huge in recruiting and especially with recruiting parents,” Cook said. “Anyone can say they have support, but we have the awards to prove that.”