USF athletes among brightest in C-USA

Conference USA will lose one of its brightest members when USF officially moves into the Big East next season.

According to C-USA, 171 USF student athletes have a GPA of at least 3.0 or better, the second-highest total behind Cincinnati, which is also moving to the Big East.

Of USF’s varsity sports, baseball had the most players on the list, with 24 of 31 players having at least a B average for the 2004-05 school year.

“Academics are of the utmost importance,” baseball coach Eddie Cardieri said. “We want everybody to graduate and get a degree.

Following baseball was the women’s soccer team (22 of 31), women’s track and field (21 of 45), men’s soccer (15 of 24), women’s cross country (12 of 23), softball (12 of 16), women’s golf (11 of 11), men’s tennis (9 of 10), football (8 of 106), women’s tennis (7 of 7), men’s cross country (6 of 6), volleyball (6 of 7), men’s track and field (6 of 10), women’s basketball (4 of 13), men’s golf (4 of 9) and men’s basketball (3 of 13).

The conference also awarded 25 Commissioner’s Academic Medal to USF student athletes. The award is given to students with at least a 3.75 average.