Lady Cardinals Basketball Has Red Hot Summer in Academic Arena

BEAUMONT, Texas - The 2007-08 Lady Cardinals basketball team flew back onto the scene in the Southland Conference and across the country by turning in a 19 win performance and bringing back a .winning feeling that's been absent for thirteen years, but they haven't stopped there.

The Lady Cards continue to shine and show the same success in the classroom. The summer of 2008 consisted of 82 hours of coursework and resulted in an overall team GPA of 3.33 while recording 17 A's.

Ashley Crawford, a junior guard from Mesquite, Texas led the way for the Lady Cardinals. After previously being named to the President's list for her hard work during the 2007-08 school year, she held firm and delivered another perfect 4.0 GPA in the summer term. Other 4.0 performers included New Orleans native, junior Brittney Williams; Salina, Kansas native, senior Emily Spickler; and incoming freshman Ang Green of Silsbee, Texas.

The academic success comes as no surprise to head coach Larry Tidwell.

"The team knows that we demand their best not only on the court, but in the classroom," he said. "I'm proud of our efforts in the summer term to help get this program where it needs to be. We will continue to strive to be the best for Lamar University."

As of this summer, assistant coach Sondra Ancelot Lundvick has taken the helm of academic supervisor for the Lady Cards. She said the hard work by the Lady Cardinals is impressive.

"Our student-athletes continue to amaze me with their work-ethic," she said. "This past year we saw three Lady Cardinals graduate and walk into the next phase of their lives, and we have five others on track to graduate next spring. It is very fulfilling to play a part in their academic success and see the many doors opening for their future."

Lamar classes begin August 25 with official practice for the Lady Cardinals to pick up in October. The sky may be the limit!