Lady Tigers Keep Up The Academic Pace

Jan. 27, 2000

By Ben Wyrick

Being a college athlete requires not only an intense dedication to training, but a focused commitment to academic work. The women’s track team is succeeding at both.

Last season the women won the ACC conference championship, placing 10 student-athletes on the ACC academic honor roll, three of whom were also All-ACC athletes. These accomplishments reflect hard work, a high level of maturity, and good time management skills on the part of the student-athletes.

While such records are impressive, they are not made by accident. Coaches White, DeOliveira, and Hoover realize the importance of academics and encourage their athletes to do well both on the track and in the classroom. “The members of our squad WILL be good students. They will be student-athletes. Additionally, our coaching staff is making a special effort to make sure we recruit good students,” said Coach White.

Clemson professors understand the importance of athletics in developing a well-rounded individual and are very cooperative when it comes to athletics.

Clemson’s campus is home to the country’s first building devoted solely to student-athlete academic support. Vickery Hall, located near the center of campus, is staffed by certified tutors, who assist student-athletes in scheduling classes, communicating with professors, career counseling, and academic tutoring. Trina Wilson is the team’s academic advisor, who is also responsible for the academic success of the team.

Freshmen on the team attend a study hall at Vickery four times a week to enhance their academic performance.

To reward scholastic achievement, Coach White instituted a program last semester which awards a $1,000 scholarship to any student-athlete who earns a 4.0 GPA for this year.