CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Saluki men’s basketball program recently completed one of its best academic years on record with a combined team grade point average of 2.87, including a spring semester mark of 3.03. Junior guard Marcus Bartley, who carries a 4.0 GPA, became the program’s first CoSIDA Academic All-American since 2009. In addition, the team’s multiyear Academic Progress Rate score, according to the NCAA, was 964 out of 1000. The score was based on a four-year average from 2014 to 2017.
“Our program has been blessed to be surrounded by an incredible academic support staff, including Kevin Kendrick, Kaila Tyner and Kristina Stepps, as well as our University Achieve Program,” said SIU head coach Barry Hinson. “In the past six years we have raised our APR average and graduated 18 of 20 players who exhausted their eligibility. This 90 percent graduation rate is a huge credit to our young men and their families and the character they’ve inherited and displayed as student-athletes.”
Six former players returned to campus to finish their degrees during the last six years, including Justin Bocot, Diamond Taylor, John Freeman, Matt Shaw, Chase Heins and recent Law School graduate Carlton Fay. In addition, nine scholarship players have earned their degrees in the last three years:
2015-16: Anthony Beane Jr., Ibby Djimde, Deng Leek
2016-17: Sean O’Brien, Mike Rodriguez, Leo Vincent
2017-18: Tyler Smithpeters, Jonathan Wiley, Austin Weiher
“The first thing Coach Hinson talks about to the team each year is academics and how we conduct ourselves in the community,” said O’Brien, who recently completed his first season of professional basketball in Finland. “Above just winning games, Coach Hinson and the staff want us to get our degrees and become successful employees, husbands and fathers.”
Sean Lloyd, who will be a senior at SIU next season, said he struggled academically when he first arrived, but credits the support staff for helping him learn to thrive in the classroom.
“School was something I never took very seriously until I got here,” he said. “Kaila Tyner has gone above and beyond to help empower me with confidence and motivate me. Getting good grades and earning our degrees are important pillars in this program that the coaches and players take as seriously as winning.”
“Our program has been blessed to be surrounded by an incredible academic support staff, including Kevin Kendrick, Kaila Tyner and Kristina Stepps, as well as our University Achieve Program,” said SIU head coach Barry Hinson. “In the past six years we have raised our APR average and graduated 18 of 20 players who exhausted their eligibility. This 90 percent graduation rate is a huge credit to our young men and their families and the character they’ve inherited and displayed as student-athletes.”
Six former players returned to campus to finish their degrees during the last six years, including Justin Bocot, Diamond Taylor, John Freeman, Matt Shaw, Chase Heins and recent Law School graduate Carlton Fay. In addition, nine scholarship players have earned their degrees in the last three years:
2015-16: Anthony Beane Jr., Ibby Djimde, Deng Leek
2016-17: Sean O’Brien, Mike Rodriguez, Leo Vincent
2017-18: Tyler Smithpeters, Jonathan Wiley, Austin Weiher
“The first thing Coach Hinson talks about to the team each year is academics and how we conduct ourselves in the community,” said O’Brien, who recently completed his first season of professional basketball in Finland. “Above just winning games, Coach Hinson and the staff want us to get our degrees and become successful employees, husbands and fathers.”
Sean Lloyd, who will be a senior at SIU next season, said he struggled academically when he first arrived, but credits the support staff for helping him learn to thrive in the classroom.
“School was something I never took very seriously until I got here,” he said. “Kaila Tyner has gone above and beyond to help empower me with confidence and motivate me. Getting good grades and earning our degrees are important pillars in this program that the coaches and players take as seriously as winning.”
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