Student athletes succeed at both

MANY OF the nation's college sports powers continue to falter when it comes to helping their student athletes succeed academically. So here is a cheer for New England's smaller colleges, whose teams play great -- and graduate.

This year in New England, UMass, New Hampshire, Maine, and Holy Cross were all ranked or received votes in the Division I-AA polls. They all had graduation rates for their scholarship athletes of at least 50 percent for both black and white players. Holy Cross was tops with 94 percent for black players and 93 percent for white players.

Division II powers included Merrimack , Southern Connecticut State, and Bryant University. None of those schools had a black player graduation rate lower than 67 percent. Bryant had an overall rate of 86 percent.

In cross country, both Providence's men's and women's teams finished in the top 10 at the NCAA nationals, both with graduation rates of 100 percent. In Division II, both Stonehill and UMass-Lowell sent both their men's and women's teams to the nationals. UMass-Lowell had graduation rates of 100 percent for both teams. Stonehill had respective rates of 100 percent and 88 percent for its women and men.

Derrick Z. Jackson's e-mail address is jackson@globe.com.