HAILSTATEBEAT: Cohen Shares Practices Behind MSU's Record GPA
December 18, 2017 | HailStateBEAT
HailStateBEAT
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And Schaefer's team absolutely dominated the game, scoring basket-after-basket, running out to as much as a 20-point lead in the third quarter, making an emphatic statement that the Bulldogs were still at the top of college basketball.
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At the table, Schaefer set down the pen he'd been using to take notes and put aside the papers of statistical reports from the game. He lifted his head as he prepared to address the assembled media in the room.
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Â"Before I get this basketball piece started," he said, "I just want to compliment my team. They had a 3.4 team GPA this semester. 12 out of 14 had a 3.0 or better. Four student-athletes had a 4.0. I'm really proud of this team and their commitment both in the classroom and on the court."
The fall semester had just finished, and that very day, the numbers had come in. The group of seniors on track to have more wins on the court than any other senior class also helped lead the way to the highest team GPA in program history. No. 3 on the court and No. 1 in the classroom made for a proud coach, and by beginning that press conference in such a way, Schaefer sent a clear message just how much that means to him.
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That success, however, is not limited to the basketball team. In fact, their high-water mark came at the same time that Mississippi State scholarship student-athletes posted the best cumulative GPA in the history of the school, notching a 3.15 for the 2017 fall semester, much to the delight of athletic director John Cohen.
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Six of MSU's seven women's teams posted a 3.0 average GPA or higher, led by first-year head coach Tom Anagnost's soccer team with a 3.69. Matt Roberts and his men's tennis team led all programs – men's and women's – with an impressively high 3.83, while Ben Howland's men's basketball team tied the best GPA in program history. The list of academic achievements goes on and on from team to team, highlighted by an astounding 54 student-athletes with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
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A longtime baseball coach, Cohen saw firsthand for 25 years the work required of college athletes to maintain academic standards that are often higher than the average student population of a university at large. The balance of school and sport can be a difficult one, and the decisions that lead to success or failure are often made well before anyone even steps inside of a classroom.
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Â"You have to invest in it as a department," Cohen said. "You must have coaches who buy into academic support and you have to recruit prospective student-athletes who make academics a priority."
The time management skills required have to be developed, and managing to study textbooks and playbooks at the same time can be a difficult task. However, Cohen believes that the busy schedules of student-athletes often lend themselves to success. The full and structured days have a natural way of forcing student-athletes to be organized and to get their work done. As a philosopher once said, if you want something done, ask a busy person.
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Â"It has been my experience that most student-athletes have better academic habits when they are in athletic practice periods," Cohen said. "The structure of a day forces most student-athletes to be more organized and proactive."
Of course, it also behooves the young men and women to take advantage of the opportunity afforded them regardless of how busy they are. As the NCAA often points out, the overwhelming majority of college athletes will be going pro in something other than sports. The time spent in college is what will prepare them for whatever career path they choose.
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Even those who will go on to make a living in professional sports, Cohen believes, have a great deal to gain by receiving and applying themselves toward a great education. Succeeding at the highest level of anything requires more than just athletic ability.
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Â"Many student-athletes dream of becoming a professional athlete. And here's the thing: we want to help those student-athletes realize their dreams, but we also want them to have great career options when their athletic careers are over," Cohen said.
And if being a professional athlete involves academic success, then perhaps it's no surprise to see so many former Bulldogs littering their professional leagues. Based on this semester, there will be plenty more to follow.
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Whatever professional field a Mississippi State graduate chooses, Cohen sees each of them as representatives of the school, members of a family who carry on the MSU name and tradition. With each passing semester, the bar for success is set higher and higher, in the classroom and out, and that's just how he wants it.
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"I'm proud of our kids," Cohen said. "Producing the highest cumulative GPA on record is a testament to the high-character student-athletes who represent our University every day. I want to congratulate them as well as our coaches, staff and our Athletic Academic Center led by Christine Jackson for their tireless efforts. Our academic mission is to graduate our students and equip them for life beyond their playing days. This is a great day for Mississippi State Athletics."
