Jay C. Upchurch
1/12/2006, 06:01 PM
Eight Sooners posted GPAs of at least 3.0 during fall semester
NORMAN — The fall semester was a prosperous one in the classroom
for members of the University of Oklahoma men's basketball team. The
squad posted a 3.14 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, setting a
single-semester record since Kelvin Sampson was named head coach in
April 1994.
Eight of the 12 student-athletes recorded a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Each
student-athlete posted at least a 2.5 GPA.
Sophomore Michael Ott earned a team-high 3.75 GPA and was followed by
freshman Taylor Griffin (3.71), freshman Austin Johnson (3.63), senior
Kevin Bookout (3.50), junior Nate Carter (3.50), sophomore Kellen
Sampson (3.40), sophomore Longar Longar (3.00) and junior Michael Neal
(3.00).
"We instituted a new attendance policy this year and really emphasized
going to study hall and meeting with tutors," said Sampson. "Besides
the kids, the credit for this goes to (associate AD for academic
affairs) Dr. Gerald Gurney, (men's basketball academic counselor) C.B.
Elder and (director of academic support services) Randy Garibay. Those
guys are great with our kids and our kids take it to task.
"The keys are going to class, going to study hall and meeting with
instructors. I've never been associated with a team that's had this
many kids with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. It's something in which we take
pride as a staff, but our kids do, too."
The men's basketball team's overall GPA is 3.03.
OU Sports Information
NORMAN — The fall semester was a prosperous one in the classroom
for members of the University of Oklahoma men's basketball team. The
squad posted a 3.14 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, setting a
single-semester record since Kelvin Sampson was named head coach in
April 1994.
Eight of the 12 student-athletes recorded a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Each
student-athlete posted at least a 2.5 GPA.
Sophomore Michael Ott earned a team-high 3.75 GPA and was followed by
freshman Taylor Griffin (3.71), freshman Austin Johnson (3.63), senior
Kevin Bookout (3.50), junior Nate Carter (3.50), sophomore Kellen
Sampson (3.40), sophomore Longar Longar (3.00) and junior Michael Neal
(3.00).
"We instituted a new attendance policy this year and really emphasized
going to study hall and meeting with tutors," said Sampson. "Besides
the kids, the credit for this goes to (associate AD for academic
affairs) Dr. Gerald Gurney, (men's basketball academic counselor) C.B.
Elder and (director of academic support services) Randy Garibay. Those
guys are great with our kids and our kids take it to task.
"The keys are going to class, going to study hall and meeting with
instructors. I've never been associated with a team that's had this
many kids with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. It's something in which we take
pride as a staff, but our kids do, too."
The men's basketball team's overall GPA is 3.03.
OU Sports Information