MOBILE, Ala. ? According to the institutional calculations upon the completion of the summer semester, the University of South Alabama men’s basketball team raised its multi-year Academic Progress Report (APR) score to a 906. While the 906 mark is still short of the required 925 minimum score, the program has made significant strides over the past few years.
The score of 906 also marks the first time since the NCAA instituted the APR standards that the Jaguar men’s multi-year mark has been over the 900 mark. In 2003-04, the first year of the APR, the South Alabama men’s program scored a 796, but since that time USA has had a single-year APR score of at least 900 or better in three of the last four years. The lone season that the Jags didn’t break the 900 single year APR mark was 2005-06, scoring an 889. South Alabama scored a 904 during the 2006-07 academic year.
The Jaguar men’s basketball team also recorded a single year 923 APR score for the 2007-08 academic year and this summer posted a 2.81 term grade point average. The significant progress that the program has made over the last four years is a true credit to the efforts of the student-athletes, coaches and academic support staff.
“One of the most important things for a Division I basketball program to have is a solid support system,” South Alabama head coach Ronnie Arrow said. “Academics are a vital part of any program, especially with the APR. Mrs. (Linda) Pereira, Mrs. (Pat) Johnson, Ms. (Elizabeth) Wood have each been important to us. For us to have a total basketball program, it is important for the academic support system to be “Big Time” and we do have a “Big Time” support system. We as coaches are also responsible for getting our players to the academic support system. I think that the coordination of these two components has been instrumental in helping our program.”
“Each member of our staff, Coach Andy Helton, Coach Chuck Taylor and Coach Mike Floyd, has four or five players that they are responsible for in making sure that they are up to date on their academics. Each morning before they start class, our players have to check in with their coach at least 15 minutes before their first class, that way we know that they are up and awake. I’ve got the best assistant coaches that handle these guys. I think that the coordination of both our academic support people and our coaches has been instrumental in helping our program. It is important for our players to know if they are going to take care of business on the court, they are also going to have to take care of their business off the court.”
Three of the key support staff people over the past year mentioned above have been Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Services Linda Pereira and Academic Advisers Pat Johnson and Elizabeth Wood.
“I could not agree more with Coach Arrow that it is the coordination between his assistant coaches, who are outstanding, our office and the efforts of the student-athletes that make these scores possible,” Pereira said.
“One of my personal goals, as well as an important goal of the academic services office, is for all of our student-athletes to excel in the classroom as well as they do in their individual sports,” Johnson said. “We want our student-athletes to be the best that they can be on and off the court.”
With another strong performance in the classroom this next academic year, South Alabama should climb over the 925 mark and get back one of its scholarships.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
