Student-athletes don’t have the best track record with academics.Rumors spread each year about athletes being lazy students or simply not being smart enough to perform both in the classroom and on the field.  Many students and administrators believe athletes are here for winning championships exclusively and that academics come a distant second.  That’s why LSU coach Paul Mainieri’s ability to bring up his team’s academic numbers has been such a pleasant surprise — we’re just not used to hearing good things about athletes’ academic prowess.Through a combination of hard work and positive motivation, Mainieri managed to increase his team’s Academic Progress Report, graduate many students and put them on a great track to an even more successful future.Mainieri is proud of his team, and it’s fair to say most University students are equally proud of their accomplishments.But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here and congratulate them too heavily — this is just the first step to producing an academically competitive Athletic Department.It’s trite, but student-athletes truly are both students and athletes.They are, or should be, expected to perform as well at their academics as they do at their sports.It’s tough, and student-athletes have an uphill battle against the stigma cast by their predecessors.Previous coaches and administrators treated graduation as a bonus. As long as the athletes brought home championships, they were allowed to slide under the wire.Coach Mainieri’s success proves that line of thought to be flat out wrong — student-athletes can find the balance between academic success and athletic prowess.  But with success comes higher expectations. Graduation is no longer a bonus, and substandard performance is no longer acceptable.So congratulations to coach Mainieri and the LSU baseball team. Your hard work has paid off.But remember, this isn’t the end of the line — you’ve got to keep it up.
 
 
 
—–Contact the Editorial Board at [email protected]