Xavier University Athletics
Xavier Ranks in Top Third of America's Best Sports Colleges
10.03.02 | General
XU was ranked in the top third of the 324 Division I Athletic Programs in the United States. Xavier is also the top rated school in the Atlantic 10 Conference and the fourth highest athletic program that does not offer football.
Over the past two years, Xavier has sent six teams to the NCAA Tournament (women's soccer, volleyball, women's basketball, men's basketball, men's golf and rifle) and seven teams have finished in the top four in the A-10 (volleyball, women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's tennis, women's tennis and men's golf).
Last year Xavier had an individual champion in two A-10 sports, Angie Hinrichs in swimming and Kerry Hils in cross country. Also, XU has had an A-10 Player of the Year in six sports over the past two years: Sara Bachus (volleyball - twice), Lauren Clary (tennis), Tim Donovan (men's golf), Kerry Hils (cross country), Jennifer Phillips (basketball) and David West (basketball - twice); and five athletes have won the A-10 Rookie of the Year: Lauren Clary (tennis), Neal Grusczynski (golf), Jay Johnson (baseball), Matt Makinson (golf) and Molly Martin (volleyball).
In addition, the rifle team placed third overall in the 2002 NCAA Championships marking the third straight season the Musketeers placed in the top four in the nation. Also, the team had three All-Americans (Thrine Kane, Hannah Kerr and Danielle Langfield) as well as the school's lone Academic All-American in Kane this past season.
Overall, Xavier athletes had a combined GPA of 3.102 and 128 athletes named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll. That is 63.4 percent of the 202 athletes which compete in Atlantic 10 sports at Xavier.
