Sept. 8, 1999
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Northwestern University was ranked 17th in a major survey conducted by THE SPORTING NEWS, in which the 112 U.S. colleges who are NCAA Division 1 in both football and men's basketball were graded according to various standards ranging from on-field to academic performance.
Northwestern received a 3.08 ?GPA? in the four categories in which athletic programs were considered. The rankings were the cover story in the September 13 issue of THE SPORTING NEWS. It can also be found on THE SPORTING NEWS website (www.sportingnews.com).
The first-time poll ? expected to become an important reference table for high school guidance counselors and coaching staffs, college-bound prospects, and university recruitment offices ? will also be fascinating for college sports fans, as it measures the full programs at these schools, not just on-field performance.
Although the chosen schools were selected by playing Division 1 football and men's basketball ? the sports of most interest to THE SPORTING NEWS readers ? their full athletic program was factored into the category ?Do We Play Fair?? This category considered the number of sports sponsored by each shool, the success and graduation rates for students in all of those sports, and Title IX compliance. Incidents of probation, plus addition or subtraction of teams, were also included in this category.
The ratings covered the last four years of graduating classes, and included GPAs and SAT scores for incoming freshmen. The poll awarded 4.0 for A, 3.0 for B and so forth, so that each school's ?final grade? was similar to the grading system generally used by colleges themselves.
The schools were also rated in a category called ?Do We Rock?,? which measured fan support, attendance, merchandise sold, size of athletic budget, number of teams, and points awarded in the annual Sears Directors? Cup competition.
?Do We Graduate?? used graduation rates as the best available measure of academic achievement for the classes which entered school in the 1989-92 period, allowing six years to achieve a degree.
?Do We Win?? awarded points for wins, regular-season conference championships, conference tournament championships, rank in THE SPORTING NEWS poll and performances in the NCAA Tournament.