16 I THURSDAY, March 17, 2005
Most players in tourney
don't graduate, study says
By The Associated Press
A new study says 42 of the 65 teams
playing in the men's NCAA tourna
ment graduated less than 50 percent of
their players.
The graduation rate statistics, com
piled in a study released Tuesday by
the University of Central Florida, also
found that women's teams in the
NCAA tournament continue to gradu
ate players at a much higher level. The
numbers are based on athletes who
entered the universities from 1994 to
1997 and were or were not able to grad
uate in six years.
If the NCANs new academic reform
plan was in place, the teams with less
than 50 percent graduation rates
would face penalties that include loss
of scholarships and a ban on postsea
son play. The NCAA has said penalties
won't be issued until 2004-05 gradua
tion data is included, which will happen
in the 2005-06 academic year.
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women, we can cut down the nets in
celebration. As for men's graduation
rates, especially for African-American
student-athletes, the dance has barely
begun," Richard Lapchick, director of
UCF's Institute for Diversity and
Ethics in Sport, said.
The study also found an increasing
disparity between the graduation rates
of white and black student-athletes on
NCAA tournament teams.
Two men's teams, LSU and Min
nesota, failed to graduate even one
player, according to numbers supplied
by the 2004 NCAA Graduation Rates
Report 'Avo No. 1 seeds Minois (47
percent) and Washington (45 percent)
graduated less than half their play
ers. Bucknell and Utah State both
graduated 100 percent, but only four
other schools topped 70 percent.
Numbers looked much better for
women's teams, where only six schools
in the 64-team field failed to graduate
at least 50 percent, while 35 graduated
at least 70 percent.
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SPORTS
Pro Day
From Page 10.
invited to the official combine in Indi
anapolis. His performance at the com
bine was highlighted by a 45 1/2 inch
vertical jump the second best of all
players in attendance which helped
to boost his draft status to the current
ly-projected sth round.
The majority of the players attend
ing Pro Day have stayed on campus to
train at the Penn State facilities with
speed development coach Jeremy
Scott, who helps them prepare for the
set of standard combine drills.
"I'm a big proponent of guys staying
at Penn State and doing training up
there; I don't advocate the pro-training
facilities," Senior said. "They have a
great training program together, and
we supplement it with [other prepara
tions such as] discussions about the
interview process."
Though NFL representatives will be
present at Pro Day, immediate feed
back still might not result, leading to
more weeks of uncertainty for the play
ers. However, the courting process will
heat up considerably after the NFL
hopefuls have been assessed today.
"We start focusing right after Pro
"I'm a big proponent of
guys staying at Penn
State and doing training
up there; I don't
advocate pro-training
facilities."
Day on position coaches and various
scouts we've had relationships with,"
Senior said. "We do follow-ups with
teams who show interest in players
setting up interviews by phone or in
person ... and arranging follow-up
workouts after Pro Day for scouts who
weren't able to be there.
"It's premature for [teams] to say,
`Hey, we really like the guy, he's defi
nitely under our consideration.' That
gets closer to the first or second week
in April, as to who might be on the
draft board or has made the short list
considered for a free agency."
Final answers, of course, won't
arrive until April 23 or 24, forcing the
athletes to continue to play the waiting
game but pro day is, at least, an
opening round.
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Fencing
From Page 10.
team in the country, suffered a set
back before Regionals two weeks
ago. Its top epee fencer, junior
Katarzyna 'Przopek, suffered an
injury and was unable to compete
and therefore could not qualify for
this week's competition.
Stepping in her place are junior
Andrea Wine and sophomore Case
Szarwark. Both had strong seasons
and are more than able to step up in
11 - zopek place.
"Fencing overall is a team sport,"
Zagunis said. "If Katarzyna is injured
or not, we still have six other girls
who still need to do their jobs to help
the team win."
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The rest of the women competing
are sophomores Sophia Hiss and
Laura Hillstrom in the saber, and
senior Meredith Chin and junior
Annekathrin Donath in the foil. The
Lions are going into Rice University
from tomorrow to Sunday to regain
the title that they have held many
times over the last decade.
"I'm in a position that I've never
had to be in, but I have faith in this
team," Zagunis said.
PENN
MI!I