The University of Kentucky softball team has a tradition of excellence on and off the field. In 2000, UK had 11 players named to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

One of the reasons for UK’s academic achievements is the Ohio Casualty Center for Academic & Tutorial Services (CATS). The University of Kentucky opened the nation’s first academic center for student-athletes in 1981.

Over the years, the services offered by CATS have grown, and so has the need for addtitional space. The UKAA has responded by constructing a new CATS area, which opened in January 1998. The new facility is called the Ohio Casualty Center for Academic and Tutorial Services, thanks to a one million dollar grant from the Ohio Casulty Insurance Group.

The new Ohio Casualty Center cost a total of $2.4 million and was constructed in the old Memorial Pool area. The new CATS includes:

• 20,000 square feet of space – more than double the size of the former CATS facility;
• a computer room housing 35 computers;
• a study area which accommodates 90-100 people;
• 24 tutoring rooms;
• a career development and life skills resource center;
• a community outreach office; and offices for the staff.

Certainly, a facility is a good start, but any program – especially in academics – is only as good as the people who run it. And UK is fortunate to have outstanding leaders in its academics support system.

Bob Bradley, Associate Athletics Director for Student Services, oversees the CATS program. Bradley was named National Academic Advisor of the Year in 1989 and 1992.

CATS has a full-time staff of nine. In addition to Bradley, they are:

• Barb Deniston, Director of Academic Services;
• Mike Haley, Lisa Buchanan, and Amy Craiglow, Academic Counselors;
• Beth Stice, Student Development Coordinator;
• Michael Stone, Executive Assistant for the National Consortium of Academics and Sports;
• D’Ann Blankenship, Staff Assistant;
• Christine Jackson, Academic Skills Coordinator.

CATS also employs six graduate assistants and numerous tutors, both from the University and the surrounding community. UK has budgeted more than $1,000,000 for the operation of CATS in the coming year.

“We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished in the academic arena,” Bradley says. “The CATS program is focused on winning in the classroom. We look at each student-athlete’s individual needs, set goals, and develop strategies to attain those goals. Our center provides our student-athletes with a definite advantage over student-athletes at many other institutions. Our goal is to show that we care about the student as well as the athlete.”

For the CATS staff, showing you care means more than helping athletes maintain eligibility, graduate, or win awards. The academics staff also prepares student-athletes for life after college with the Wildcat Career Development Program.

The Career Development Program helps student-athletes look to the future through a step-by-step process which includes:

• mentoring and internships, which help determine career interests;
• career counseling;
• resume writing;
• forming a career plan.

The Wildcat Career Development Program works closely with the University’s Career Planning and Placement Center in order to provide additional assistance when needed.

The philosophy at the University of Kentucky is this: Colleges should be able to provide the student-athlete with every opportunity to succeed not only in athletics, but in academics as well. Looking at recent statistics in Academic Honor Roll selections and graduation rates, it is clear that Kentucky is standing by its philosophy.