All 20 Ohio varsity athletic teams scored above the minimum cut line of the NCAA's latest Academic Progress Rate information released this past Wednesday, with four Bobcats programs receiving perfect scores.
The Academic Progress Rate is released annually by the NCAA and measures each team's academic eligibility and retention of student-athletes for each school term. The current report is based on the NCAA's data from the 2003-04 and 2004-05 academic terms.
Teams falling below the minimum cut line of 925 are subject to loss of scholarships for their program. An APR score of 925 calculates to a graduation success rate of approximately 60 percent.
Both the men's and women's golf teams, volleyball, and men's cross country earned perfect scores of 1000, with football earning the lowest score of 936. Out of the 20 Ohio sports programs, 18 scored above the national average for a public institution.
Across the country, 99 Division I sports programs at 65 colleges and universities will lose scholarships for not reaching the minimum cut line.
In total, six Mid-American Conference schools will be penalized, including Buffalo, Northern Illinois, Toledo and Western Michigan - all losing football scholarships - and Kent State will lose basketball scholarships.
Golf teams hit the road
Both the men's and women's golf teams enjoyed sunny skies while competing in invitational tournaments this past weekend.
The men's team began their spring season in Winter Garden, Fla., for the Orange County National Xavier Invitational. The Bobcats showed some rust, finishing 15th in the 15-team field.
Playing on the same course where he won the Big East/MAC Challenge to end the fall season, junior Mark Cimarolli paced the Bobcats with a score of 222 (75-72-75) over 54 holes. Ohio's best round on the final day came from senior Brian Bickle, who shot an even-par 72, and finished with a 54-hole score or 227 (84-71-72).
Ohio coach Bob Cooley recognized that the team did not perform well, but also knows the team was at a disadvantage coming off the winter break.
It's the first time we've been outside since November. Most schools there were on their spring break and had already played in several tournaments
Cooley said.
The women's team headed west for their second tournament of the spring season and faired slightly better, finishing in a tie for 10th out of the 17-team field at the Rio Verde Invitational in Rio Verde, Ariz.
With a strong final round, junior Meredith Waterston led the way for Ohio, finishing 17th out of 107 competitors. Waterston shot a 229 (80-75-74) across the 54 holes.
Arizona native, sophomore Katie Stafford, shot a career-best round of 77 in the opening round, to lead the way for the Bobcats in her homecoming.
Over spring break, both teams will travel to Pinehurst, N.C. The next invitational for both teams is April 7-8, with the men competing at the Marshall Invitational and the women traveling to the Eastern Kentucky Spring Invitational.
- Brice Wiley 17
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