The NCAA News Digest

December 7, 1998

• Most-improved football teams
• FOOTBALL -- Football attendance soars to record of 37.5 million
• GRADUATION RATES -- First study of graduation figures compiled for Divisions II and III
• INITIAL ELIGIBILITY -- Membership services staff plans February video conference
• HONORS DINNER -- Richardson to be honored with Theodore Roosevelt Award

Most-improved football teams

FOOTBALL

Football attendance soars to record of 37.5 million

College football attendance in 1998 climbed over the 37 million mark for the first time, with most of the increase coming in Division I-A, which also established a record.

Home-game attendance totals for 1998 were 37,491,078 for the four divisions and subdivisions, a jump of more than 600,000 from 1997. Division I-A totaled 27,674,217 fans, which was an average of 42,510 per game and a jump of more than 100,000 in total attendance from the previous mark set last year.

The 595 NCAA teams experienced an increase of 633,229 from last season in overall attendance and surpassed the previous record total of 36,857,849 set in 1997.

The University of Michigan, bolstered by a stadium expansion, became the only college football team to average more than 110,000 for its home games.

The Wolverines averaged 110,965 for their six home games while the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was second with 106,914, the second-best figure in NCAA history.

The University of South Florida captured its first Division I-AA attendance title by averaging 27,143 in only its second varsity football season. Southern University was second at 22,713. Tuskegee University took its first Division II attendance crown, averaging 13,269, while St. John's University (Minnesota) won its fourth Division III attendance title in the past six years, averaging 6,562 to edge last year's winner, Emory & Henry.

Staff contact: Richard M. Campbell.

GRADUATION RATE

First study of graduation figures compiled for Divisions II and III

Graduation rates for Division II student-athletes show that they graduate at a higher rate than the overall student body.

The degree by which student-athletes outperform the student body is similar in Divisions I and II. No data about student-athletes are available in Division III since the athletics part of the study is based on whether an individual receives athletically related financial aid.

Staff contacts: Todd A. Petr.

INITIAL ELIGIBILITY

Membership services staff plans February video

The NCAA membership services staff will conduct a video conference about initial-eligibility issues for high-school administrators and coaches in February 1999.

Details will appear in a future issue of The NCAA News.

Staff contacts: Carolayne Henry.

HONORS DINNER

Richardson to be honored with Theodore Roosevelt Award

Bill Richardson, secretary of the U.S. Depart-ment of Energy and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, will be presented with the NCAA's Theodore Roosevelt Award during the honors dinner January 10 in San Antonio.

Richardson is a 1970 graduate of Tufts University, where he played baseball. He served as a congressman for 14 years before becoming United Nations ambassador in 1996.

The NCAA also has selected the winners of the Today's Top VIII Awards. They are Margaret H. Boutilier of the University of Virginia, field hockey and lacrosse; Kristin Folkl of Stanford University, volleyball and basketball; Henry A. Gerten, Augsburg College, wrestling; Vera S. Ilyina, University of Texas at Austin, swimming and diving; Jamie McDaniel, Ashland University, swimming and diving; Emily Stauffer, Harvard University, soccer; Matthew Stinchcomb, Univer-sity of Georgia, football; and Kevin R. Sullivan, University of Michigan, track and field and cross country.

Staff contacts: Laurie Bollig.