Grats to the Lady Eagles/Graduation Rates

Many congratulations to the Lady Eagles of Emory University on their 16-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22 win over the University of La Verne in the finals of the DIII volleyball championships on Saturday night. Senior middle hitter Dani Huffman led the team with 13 kills, 4 blocks, and 4 digs, and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld, who posted 47 assists, and freshman outside hitter Alexandra Wright, who scored 11 kills, joined her on the all-tournament team. Crista Jones and Brianna Gonzales of the University of La Verne, Liz Schnelle of Ohio Northern, and Erin Albert of Juniata also received all-tournament honors.

Specific graduation rates are not available for non-scholarship Division III schools, but Emory students as a whole post one of the best graduation rates in the country at 87%. Semifinalist Juniata comes close at 78%, while Ohio Northern, at 65%, and La Verne, at 51%, lag behind. So yet again. Are success on the court and in the classroom compatible with each other? Absolutely!

Grats to the Lady Bears/Graduation Data

Many congratulations to the Lady Bears of Washington University (Missouri) on their 3-2 win (30-25, 23-30, 30-22, 28-30, 15-13) over Wisconsin-Whitewater in the DIII Volleyball Championship. This is their ninth championship, leading all DIII programs, and the second for head coach Rich Luenemann. Junior outside hitter Alli Alberts was named the tournament MVP, and senior outside hitter Haleigh Spencer and junior setter Audra Janak were named to the all-tournament team.

Washington, a non-scholarship DIII school, does not post graduation data for its athletes, but the school posts an overall 91% graduation rate, as compared to 53% for beaten finalist Wisconsin-Whitewater. Beaten semi-finalists Juniata and Wittenberg post graduation rates of 76% and 67% respectively. But high academic standards are incompatible with on-field success. Right?