Sherer accepted the Alan Sharpe Award at the CVAC Winter Meetings last week, given annually to the school with the highest five-year graduation rates for its student-athletes.

Erskine's 78 percent five-year graduation rate is far ahead of national averages for NCAA Division II schools across the nation. The average five-year graduation rate for all of NCAA Division II is 50 percent. Division II private schools average 54 percent nationally and Division II public schools average 47 percent.

In the CVAC, Belmont Abbey was second at 76 percent and Longwood was third at 70 percent. Other CVAC five-year graduation rates are: Queens 63 percent, Pfeiffer 58 percent, Mt. Olive 17 percent and figures were unavailable for St. Andrews, Lees McRae, Coker and Barton.

The five year student-athlete graduation rate of other Upstate schools of note: Wofford 90 percent, Furman 73 percent, Presbyterian 67 percent, Lander 50 percent, Clemson 41 percent and Newberry 38 percent.