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Event Recap

In an era when low graduation rates are the norm among student athletes at competitive NCAA Division I schools, Boston College has consistently managed to combine athletic and academic success. The key, said athletic director Gene DeFilippo at a November 5 talk, lies in careful recruiting, constant academic support, and attention to the university鈥檚 Jesuit values.

Since DeFilippo began as athletic director in 1997, the Eagles have enjoyed unprecedented success on the field, rink, and court. The football team recently played its 11th consecutive bowl game; the men鈥檚 hockey team has won two national championships and six conference titles; and women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 teams frequently play in NCAA basketball and soccer championships.

BC student-athletes continue to meet remarkable academic standards as well. In 2006 the NCAA publicly recognized the university for an extraordinary accomplishment: 14 of its teams鈥� graduation rates ranked in the top 10 percent nationally, tying BC with Notre Dame for the highest total of any Division I university.

So what鈥檚 the secret? DeFilippo gave primary credit for the academic successes of student-athletes to careful selection at the outset. 鈥淢ost of the problems get taken care of in the recruiting process,鈥� he said, when coaches and admissions officers seek athletes who can handle a full academic load and who demonstrate strong moral character. Once at BC, the staff of Learning Resources for Student-Athletes provides crucial academic advising and tutoring.

But the Jesuit call to service also plays an important role in student-athletes鈥� development, DeFilippo noted. He expressed pride that varsity athletes are such active participants in community service, regularly volunteering at local schools, hospitals, and shelters. Whatever the religious background of incoming players, they鈥攍ike all BC students鈥攁re strongly encouraged to 鈥渂uy into the mission of being 鈥榤en and women for others.鈥欌�� It is a primary goal of Jesuit education, and one that fits perfectly into an ethic of teamwork that also wins games.