Motlow Student-Athletes Doing Great In The Classroom

For the fourth consecutive year Motlow College graduated a higher percentage of its sophomore student-athletes than any other community college in the state of Tennessee. The information was included in the official Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) report released on July 28.

Over 82% of Motlow’s sophomore student-athletes graduated from the College in 2012. That’s 8% higher than the second highest rate of 74.1% from Volunteer State. Only five of the state’s ten community colleges graduated at least half of their sophomore student-athletes in 2012.

“Our top priority as an athletic department and as a college is to see our student-athletes graduate and move on to four-year institutions,” said Motlow athletic director Jerry Nichols. “Winning games is important, fun, and entertaining for the fans but the bottom line is educating young people. That’s what we do at Motlow College.”

Thirty-two of the thirty-nine Motlow student-athletes who began as sophomores in 2011 graduated in May 2012 or are on schedule to graduate in August 2012.

Statewide graduation rates for sophomore student-athletes fell .2% from 2011 to 2012, from 49.2% to 49%. The largest increase came in softball, where 64% graduated in 2012 as compared to 46% in 2011. The largest decrease came in women’s basketball, which graduated 53.3% in 2011 but fell to 43% in 2012.

Seven Motlow freshman and 14 sophomore student-athletes received TCCAA All-Academic honors in 2011-12, including seven from baseball, five from both men’s basketball and softball, and four from women’s basketball.