Colleges

High academic score has Leavitt glowing

By GREG AUMAN
Published March 2, 2005

Academic reports aren't usually the kind of thing to get football coaches excited, but Jim Leavitt can barely contain himself.

South Florida posted the highest overall Academic Progress Rate score of any school in the state, and any football school in Conference USA or in next year's Big East.

"To me, that's staggering," said Leavitt, who starts spring practice March 22. "When we first started this program nine years ago, people wanted to know if we were going to do it the right way. This really means a lot to me."

USF's overall score of 976 - 28 points above the Division I average - shows a programwide ability to keep athletes eligible and headed toward graduation. But the football team's score of 965 is a full 52 points above the average for public schools.

Leavitt said that reinforces the benefits of attending USF, something that can only help the Bulls in recruiting next season.

"It should," said Leavitt, who said the credit for USF's academic success should start with associate athletic director Phyllis LaBaw and assistant AD Cindy Moore, who work in USF's Academic Enrichment Center. "If I were a parent looking at schools for my child, it would mean a lot to me. It's very powerful. It gives us an image as being a strong academic school. And we'll get even better. I hope our players are very proud of that."

MOUND WOES: Before Tuesday's doubleheader with Maine, the big difference between last year's 60-14 softball team and this season's was pitching. The graduation of staff ace Leigh Ann Ellis, who pitched almost two-thirds of USF's innings last year, has hurt. The team ERA had jumped from 1.56 last year to 2.80.

That makes Tuesday's pair of 1-0 complete-game gems all the more encouraging. Sophomore Danielle Urbanik of East Bay pitched a two-hitter, then freshman Bree Spence of Countryside pitched nine scoreless innings for the Bulls (12-8).

USF's .312 batting average is second best in Conference USA, and what's encouraging for Ken Eriksen's team is that the roster has only two seniors, with first baseman Carmela Liwag the only senior starter.

USF's young lineup, picked to finish third in C-USA in the coaches' preseason poll, gets a good test this weekend at its Louisville Slugger Tournament, including games against No. 9 Michigan and No. 15 Florida.

IN THE BONUS: Women's basketball coach Jose Fernandez will likely get a new contract after the season, but his current deal - which paid him a base salary of $84,000 this year - will land him a bonus when the Bulls reach the postseason. If USF (19-9) can make its debut in the NCAA Tournament, he'll get $7,500, equivalent to more than a month's salary. If the Bulls return to the postseason NIT, he'll get $2,500. If the fifth-seeded Bulls win the C-USA tournament this weekend, that would net a $2,500 bonus for Fernandez.

THIS AND THAT: How hot a start has third baseman Jeff Baisley had? He has 19 RBIs in USF's first 13 games, and nobody else in C-USA has more than 12. Jeff and twin brother Brian are first and third in the league in hits, and junior Matt McHargue leads C-USA with four home runs. Some of that comes from USF playing more games than any other team in the league, but it's hard to discount sophomore right-hander Casey Hudspeth's ratio of 32 strikeouts against three walks. ... Former Plant and Southern California standout Mike Williams has rented USF's soccer stadium for a personal workout for NFL scouts on March 10; Bulls seniors with NFL ambitions will work out on campus March 11. ... Former Bulls cornerback Anthony Henry, an unrestricted free agent after four years with the Browns, should soon have the biggest NFL paycheck ever for a USF alum. ESPN.com reported that the signing bonuses for a strong group of young cornerbacks could reach $10-million. Not bad for a guy whose base salary was $455,000 this past season.

Times staff writer Greg Auman covers USF. Reach him at 813 226-3346 or auman@sptimes.com

[Last modified July 4, 2005, 08:33:01]