Sports Shorts: News Briefs

February 03, 2010
By Michael Omenazu
Assistant Editor for Sports

A. 71 Student-Athletes Named to Honor Roll

The UIS Athletics Department announced its Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll for the Fall 2009 semester. The program combined to post a 3.02 GPA, which included 71 student athletes that earned a GPA of 3.0 or better. Overall, the department finished with 30 athletes with a 3.5+ GPA, six with a 4.0

For the third consecutive semester UIS student-athletes have posted an average above 3.0. UIS Athletics Director Rodger Jehlicka said, “The student-athletes at UIS continue to excel in the classroom as well as on the playing field. The overall GPA of 3.2 is a tremendous accomplishment.”

He continued, “I congratulate each of our student-athletes and coaches for working hard to achieve that goal and continuing the success in the class room that we’ve enjoyed over the past three semesters."

Making the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll requires a 3.0 semester GPA. Both Men’s and Women’s Tennis lead their sides with 3.13 and 3.46 GPA respectively. The Men’s Soccer team had the most athletes with 10 making the list. 

B. William Jewell Joins GLVC

The Great Lakes Valley Conference welcomed William Jewell, increasing the total number of schools to 16. Chair of the GLVC Council of Presidents and University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor Thomas George said, “We are pleased to welcome such an outstanding academic institution to the GLVC and believe their membership will further strengthen what is already a very competitive conference.”

William Jewell, like fellow GLVC school Rockhurst, is located near Kansas City in Liberty, Missouri. The college has a student body of approximately 1,100 students. Formerly a charter member of the NAIA, William Jewell makes the transition to the NCAA Division II. Their athletic program sponsors 18 sports including track and field and football.

The addition of WJC displays continued growth within the GLVC as last year UIS along with Maryville joined.  For the first time the conference features 16 teams. Established in 1978 it stands as one of the largest Division II conferences in the country.

C. GLVC to Sponsor Football, UIS Decline

The NCAA Division II conference recently announced its timeline for sponsoring the sport with 2012 as the target for the inaugural season. With William Jewell joining the league, the conference now has six schools with football programs, meeting the minimum number required to sponsor the sport.

Conference members Kentucky Wesleyan, Missouri S&T and Saint Joseph are affiliated with the Great Lakes Football Conference (GLFC). Quincy is a member of the Mid-States Football Association and the University of Indianapolis will continue to compete in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) through 2011. Although UIS joined GLVC this past year, it declined to add football.

An article debating whether UIS should add football or not can be found on pages

Point/Counter-Point: Football at UIS - NO
Point/Counter-Point: Football at UIS - YES