Oct. 28, 2003

Indiana State athletes top conference in academics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — On the heels of national recognition in women’s basketball and softball, Indiana State University on Tuesday captured the inaugural Missouri Valley Conference Academic Excellence Award for the classroom accomplishments of its student-athletes.  [WFIU radio package]  [download RealPlayer (Win)]  [download RealPlayer (Mac)]

The award recognized the Sycamores as having the highest grade point average among schools participating in conference sports during 2002-03.

The MVC includes six state universities - Illinois State, Indiana State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Southwest Missouri, and Wichita State - and four private schools - Bradley, Creighton, Drake and the University of Evansville.

“In this award we have outperformed and outdistanced our competition even among the private sector. For that we are exceedingly proud,” said Indiana State President Lloyd W. Benjamin III.

Earlier this month, the women’s basketball and softball teams were recognized for having the highest grade point average of all NCAA Division I programs. The Lady Sycamore basketball team achieved a combined GPA of 3.639 while the softball team had a GPA of 3.466.

“We work hard not only on the court but also in the classroom. This says a lot about our coaching staff and about the academic enrichment program we have,” said Erin Rhodes, center for the Lady Sycamores basketball team. The Sweetser, Ind. resident and graduate of Oak Hill High School in Converse is pursuing a master’s degree in criminology.

“This is just an amazing honor; not many people can say they got the national team of the year for grades,” said senior softball player Sarah Kothe of Evansville.

“We worked so hard - in school and on the field. Everything we do is all for one goal and we’re so glad we made it,” said Kothe, a Mater Dei High School graduate who transferred from Wabash Valley College.

“We get a lot of one-on-one attention,” added pitcher Jaime Rasmussen, a Whiteland High School graduate. “It’s very important to the staff here that we get and maintain good grades.”

Three other ISU teams made the top ten nationally in academics. Women’s track placed second with a GPA of 3.44 while women’s soccer and women’s cross country each placed third with GPAs of 3.49 and 3.66, respectively. In addition, four teams - volleyball, women’s tennis, men’s cross country, and men’s track - received Academic All America honors.

Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of all student-athletes at Indiana State had a 3.0 GPA last year, with 39 percent achieving GPAs of 3.5 or higher. Nine student athletes had a perfect 4.0 while seven had cumulative GPAs of 4.0.

“The recognition to our teams certainly personifies the term ‘student-athlete’,” said Andrea Myers, director of intercollegiate athletics. “Our coaches recruit people who not only have excelled on the fields of competition but also in the classroom.”

Sycamore coaches and athletes also credit the individual attention students receive and the work of the university’s academic support program for student-athletes.

“The thing that separates Indiana State from a lot of universities is the personal attention that you get,” said Wiede, head coach of the Lady Sycamores basketball team. “The academic enrichment center that we have and the people in that office do a tremendous job,” Wiede said. “The coaches also support the athletes by monitoring them and challenging them. We tell our recruits that if you come to Indiana State, not only are you going to do well academically, but you’re going to excel.”

Coaches expect student-athletes to “grow as people” during their years at Indiana State, said Brenda Coldren, softball coach.

“We want them to graduate with a degree that’s going to help them get on their way with life but also we want them to understand what it’s like to interact with people and respect people on all levels,” Coldren said.

Student athletes say professors at Indiana State are interested in them not only as students but also as people, Myers added.

“That’s very important and that’s something special about Indiana State. The size of our campus and the size of our classes allow the faculty to truly know students in their classes. That adds a lot to helping students be successful,” she said.

The academic support program begins working with student athletes “before they even set foot on campus,” said program coordinator Henry Villegas. “Every single recruit that comes here meets with our staff. They receive a preview of all the things that we do here.”

In addition to attending Sycamore Advantage, a program offered to all incoming students, student-athletes are required to take University 101, a two-hour credit course available to all freshmen in an effort to ensure a smooth transition from high school to college, Villegas said.

“Another thing is our mentoring program where we engage not only our professional staff but also our former student athletes in mentoring freshmen so from the very beginning they know what is expected of them as students and also as athletes,” he said.

Senior Stacey Sparger, catcher for the 2002 softball team, had a mentor when she came to Indiana State and is now serving as a mentor to this year’s freshmen.

“It makes a big difference just having somebody that’s older and has been through it,” said Sparger, a graduate of McCutcheon High School in Lafayette. “It’s nice to be able to tell people, ‘this is what I went through and this is how I worked through it.’ “

Indiana State “attempts to provide an awful lot of individual instruction for all of its students,” said Benjamin. “We believe in the intense personalization of the learning process and nowhere is that more true than among our athletes. We’re making a tremendous statement about quality on this campus, not only quality in the classroom but also quality in athletic competition. We’re proud of that.”

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Contact:
Andrea Myers, director, intercollegiate athletics, (812) 237-4089 or athandi@isugw.indstate.edu

Writer:
Dave Taylor, assistant director, public affairs, (812) 237-3743 or devtaylo@isugw.indstate.edu

ISU Public Affairs:
(812) 237-3773 or http://isunews.indstate.edu