Graduation rates rise
THE NCAA released its annual report on graduation rates and declared that college athletes are earning degrees at record rates and outpacing their fellow students by nearly all measures.
THE NCAA released its annual report on graduation rates and declared that college athletes are earning degrees at record rates and outpacing their fellow students by nearly all measures.
One possible explanation for the record numbers is a first-time inclusion of Ivy League schools in the annual report. Those schools had not previously been included because the Ivy League does not award scholarships based on athletic performance.
Eighty-three percent of male athletes graduated from college, a 5-percentage point jump, while female athletes improved 2 percentage points to 92 percent. Among black athletes, the rate improved 4 percentage points to 68. White athletes came in at 87 percent, a 3-percentage point increase.
Nineteen of the top 25 teams in the BCS standings graduated at least 60 percent of their players over the 4-year period. Penn State and Stanford tied for the best mark with 87 percent. Oklahoma (48 percent) was the only one below 50 percent.
NCAA president Mark Emmert and others believe the results are a direct reflection of the NCAA's academic reforms.
Back in 2003, the NCAA changed the eligibility requirements for incoming freshmen and college upperclassmen. It required high school seniors to complete 16 core courses and upperclassmen to finish a higher percentage of course work toward a degree to remain eligible.
In other college news:
* LSU coach Les Miles said star cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, leading rusher Spencer Ware and defensive back Tharold Simon have returned to practice. The three were suspended for the Tigers' win over Auburn for violating the team's drug policy.
* Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill signed a contract that runs through 2017 and will pay him at least $1.2 million annually.
* Florida says tight end Gerald Christian and receiver Robert Clark intend to transfer.
* Oral Roberts University announced it would leave the Summit League for the Southland Conference next July.
Philly File *
The Soul announced that 5-3 wide receiver Alfonso Hoggard III (from Clarion) and defensive back Jesse Cooper (Bloomsburg) were chosen from more than 200 hopefuls at Saturday's tryout to compete for jobs at the Arena Football League team's training camp in February.
* Harness driver David Miller posted his 10,000th career win, behind Beatgoeson Hanover in the sixth race at Harrah's Chester.
Sport Stops *
NASCAR issued 4-week suspensions to the crew chiefs and car chiefs for Martin Truex Jr., David Reutimann and Bobby Labonte. Crew chiefs Chad Johnson, Rodney Childers and Frank Kerr also were fined $50,000 each, and the drivers docked 25 points apiece.
* Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki beat Agnieszka Radwanska, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, in their opening round-robin match at the WTA Championships in Istanbul.