Dean's Challenge A Success for Women's Hoops

NORMAN – Oklahoma women's basketball head coach Sherri Coale knows the value of the classroom and the impact it has on her student-athletes.

This past season, the Sooners created a new venture to create a partnership with the University of Oklahoma's 21 colleges with one challenge - bring as many students as possible to a women's basketball game and the winning college would could receive up to a $1,000 scholarship.

"The Dean's Challenge was an idea we had to connect students on campus with what we do at the Lloyd Noble Center," Coale explained. "We needed and wanted the energy of students on campus in our arena, but we also wanted them to see their peers do what they do."

After a kickoff breakfast in December, the challenge was accepted by almost all of OU's deans in Norman. Each dean would select at least one game for their college's faculty and students to attend during the course of OU's Big 12 schedule.

At the conclusion of the season, three OU colleges won scholarships for their participation. The College of Education ($1,000), College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences ($500) and University Libraries ($1,000) all received a scholarship.

"I was struck by the energy, the passion, the perseverence," University Libraries Dean Rick Luce said. "There's a lot of what you see in a team that those athletes in what they have to do to be success. That also translates into what they have to do as students in the classroom and it was nice to see that bridge created."

For more information on Oklahoma women's basketball, follow the Sooners on Twitter (@OU_WBBall) or like Oklahoma Sooners Women's Basketball on Facebook.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Dean's Challenge A Success for Women's Hoops

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