FanPost

UCLA Student-Athletes Score Well in NCAA's Recent Academic Rankings

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA, in an attempt to put the "student" back in "student-athlete", measures academic progress at member institutions. There is a formula, with a maximum score of 1000, based on the % of athletes on scholarship who are academically eligible and who remain in school. The score is based on a four year rolling average.

If a school falls below the required minimum in a given sport, then sanctions kick in. The sanctions include reduced practice time, no postseason, and reduced scholarships, based on the score and whether this is a repeat low score. The minimum score for next season is 930 in any sport on a four year rolling average, or as a transition rule from the prior 900 standard, 940 on a two year rolling average.

Before getting to the results, we would be remiss if we did not point out that TIARA has a clause in his contract which provides a bonus payment if UCLA Men's Basketball hits a score of 925, which would result in sanctions. Ouch. Way to be, Doughnut.

The results for 2012-13 were released this week. Here are UCLA's results by sports, and the rank within the conference (primarily Pac-12, but MPSF for some sports)-

Baseball 978 (5th)
Football 979 (2nd)
Men's Basketball 969 (7th)
Men's Cross Country 968 (5th)
Men's Golf 978 (7th)
Men's Soccer 961 (last)
Men's Tennis 965 (next to last)
Men's Track 974 (5th)
Men's Volleyball 986 (5th)
Men's Water Polo 996 (2nd)

Softball 987 (6th)
Women's Basketball 978 (6th)
Women's Cross Country 981 (7th)
Women's Golf 1000 (1st)
Women's Gymnastics 996 (4th)
Women's Rowing 991 (2nd)
Women's Soccer 982 (9th)
Women's Swimming 992 (2nd)
Women's Tennis 969 (last)
Women's Track 983 (5th)
Women's Volleyball 976 (10th)- Washington State was last with 929, and was hit with reduced practice time, the only sanction for any Pac-12 team in any sport
Women's Water Polo 995 (3rd)

The Bruins were well above the comfort zone in every sport. I certainly do not go out of my way to praise Morgan Center, but this is one area where they seem to be doing the right thing, especially compared to our sister UC campus in Berkeley.

This is also a tribute to some former coaches, particularly CRN. Although the results on the field were awful, he did recruit student-athletes, and clearly provided a conducive environment for classroom success. The #2 ranking within the conference indicates his success in this regard, since this is a four year rolling average.

The last place rankings may reflect athletes turning pro, which harms the results. But last place in the Pac-12 is still better than a lot of schools in other conferences. And there is no scalar within the system for a degree of difficulty. An A, B, or C at $C is clearly not equivalent to an A, B, or C at UCLA.

In terms of other West Coast and near West Coast schools, UNLV is ineligible in football next year to a low APR, and Fullerton and San Jose State are ineligible in basketball next year due to low APR's.

The bottom line is that UCLA continues to provide an excellent balance of success on the field and in the classroom. Kudos to all our student-athletes. Well done.

Go Bruins !!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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