By Jeff Uveino
Contributing Writer
Spring 2017 marked the 24th straight semester that St. Bonaventure University student-athletes have accumulated an overall 3.0 or better GPA.
Thirteen of Bonaventure’s Division I teams also produced a 3.0 GPA or better, and 134 student-athletes amassed a 3.50 GPA or better during the spring 2017 semester and were named to the A10s Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Despite being the second-smallest school in the A10 in terms of enrollment, Bonaventure had an above average number of students on the Honor Roll.
Tim Kenney, director of intercollegiate athletics, stressed the emphasis that he and his staff put on the academic side of student-athlete life, and he said you’re not here to just play a sport, you’re here to first get an education.
Kenney also spoke to the impact that St. Bonaventure’s student-athlete academic success has on recruiting. He explained that recruits and their parents alike are attracted to that aspect of the university.
“The recruits and the parents that I speak with are very impressed when you start rattling off the numbers,” Kenney said.” A very small number of people go on with their sport to play professionally. They love doing what they’re doing, it’s who they are, but education is the key. What’s going to happen once you’re done with your time here? That’s the key.”
Although many Bonaventure teams that have earned academic honors within the A10 and nationally over the last several semesters, one that stands out is the women’s swim team, coached by Brian Thomas. With a 3.57 team GPA during the 2016-17 school year, the team was selected as a College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-American Team.
Coach Thomas gave high praise to the dedication to schoolwork he has seen from his student-athletes.
“Their work ethic is something that even I admire,” Thomas said. “There are times when I have to step back and shake my head and wonder how they get it all done.”
Thomas takes additional steps to ensure his athletes are getting the proper amount of time for schoolwork each day, requiring all student-athletes on his team with a GPA lower than 3.5 to attend study hall hours.
Thomas also pointed out that the demanding schedule student-athletes have year in and year out helps team members stay on track.
“The rigors of our schedule help us academically,” Thomas said. “It forces them to be a little more routine-oriented. There’s really no time for them to rest. They always need to be looking ahead in terms of what they need to accomplish.”
He also acknowledged Academic Advisor Heather McDivitt as playing a large role in keeping the student-athletes on track. She helps each member of the team plan ahead in order to make sure they are staying on top of schoolwork while traveling.
“We’re on the road every weekend in October so even though it feels like a little bit of a light load right now, Heather is forcing them to look ahead three or four weeks so they can start spreading things out a bit and just be a little more process-oriented with what they do with their academics,” Thomas said.
The consistent academic success that Bonaventure student-athletes have churned out for over a decade can be attributed to many factors, including both the dedication that the student-athletes themselves put in the classroom, as well as the strong support staff that the coaches and staff have established around them. This has caused Bonaventure athletics to be honored yearly on its performance in the classroom.
uveinojj17@bonaventure.edu
