The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Excel Academically in Fall Semester
1/3/2008 12:00:00β―AM | Baseball
Jan. 3, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - With classes set to resume on the UAB campus on Monday, the UAB baseball team will begin what it hopes will be another stellar semester academically. This past fall semester, 20 Blazers finished with GPAs of 3.0 or better, including six players that earned perfect 4.0 GPAs. As a team, the Blazers combined for a 3.07 GPA.
"We are extremely pleased and proud of our players for their efforts and accomplishments," said UAB head coach Brian Shoop. "One of our primary goals has been to improve in the classroom and this is foundational to what we are trying to do in our program."
Senior Brandon Wallace, juniors James Oliver and Johnny Volk and freshmen Bradley Hicks, Devin Hamilton and Danny Volk all achieved 4.0 GPAs, while senior Brandon Flaherty, sophomore Luke Stewart and freshman Nick Crawford all obtained GPAs of 3.75 or better for the fall semester.
Additional Blazers earning 3.0 GPAs or better were senior Paul Jones, juniors Allen Aubin, Brint Hardy, Mitch Kloskowski and Austin Taylor, sophomores Kevin Cope, Jonathan Merritt and Mikael Saway and freshmen Blake Huddleston, Andrew Manning and Trey Vice.
In addition to the academic accomplishments of the current Blazers, five former players earned their UAB degrees this past fall. Those earning their degrees were Grant Addison, J.R. Bond, Danny Sawyer, Steven Turner and Zac Ward.
"We are also pleased that five seniors from last year earned their UAB degrees this fall," Shoop said. "It has always been my opinion that if we win on the field, but fail in the classroom, or don't graduate our players, then our program is failing. We know this fall's success is the result of a strong commitment and many hours of hard work on the part of our players and our academic advisor Josh Watson.
"It is also my opinion that a strong work ethic and the discipline it takes to succeed in life have a strong carry over from the classroom to the athletic fields and ultimately to life after baseball. We so very much want our men to lead successful and productive lives of great integrity. This past academic semester is a step in that direction and again we are very proud of our guys."
