University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Athletics Honored By <I>U.S. News & World Report</I>
 | |
March 16, 2002
AMHERST, Mass. - In the March 18, 2002, issue of U.S. News & World Report, the University of Massachusetts athletic program was ranked as one of the top 20 in the nation, based on four areas of achievement used by the publication. The rankings were part of the publication's "America's Best College Sports Programs" feature, included in the issue on news stands now. The four criteria considered for selection were gender equity, graduation rates, number of sports offered and win-loss record. In addition, schools were penalized if they were found guilty of major NCAA infractions during the last 10 years.
In addition to UMass, the schools recognized by U.S. News & World Report were Boston College, Brown, Connecticut, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Hawaii, Illinois, Lehigh, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, Penn State, Princeton, Stanford, Utah and Villanova.
Nearly half (nine) of the 20 schools on the list sponsor Division I-A football and play in Bowl Championship Series conferences. UMass was the only member of the Atlantic 10 Conference to be honored, and has won the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Cup as the conference's top all-around athletic program in five of the last seven years, including the 2000-2001 academic year.
More information on the U.S. News & World Report study of intercollegiate athletics can be found on the internet by clicking here.