Does Gender Significantly Predict Academic, Athletic Career Motivation among NCAA Division I College Athletes

Abstract

American society has had college athletics at its core for over a century (Rader, 2009) and is ubiquitous in University life. College athletes’ performances both on and off the field have been scrutinized in both popular and academic literature. Other examples include the documentation in student development literature that meaningful engagement outside traditional classroom settings can have positive effects on a student’s (athlete or not) personal development (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). College athletes’ individual experiences have received considerable attention in the popular media and literature as the pressures to perform both athletically and academically are vast (Benford, 2007; Meyer, 2005). Previous studies have explored the athletic environment in terms of the emergence of leadership, team dynamics, team cohesion, and the motivational climate (Adie, Duda, & Ntoumanis, 2008; Allen, & Howe, 1998; Balaguer, Duda, & Crespo, 1999; Medic, Mack, Wilson, & Starkes, 2007; Tsang, 2007). Other studies have focused more on individual attributes such as motivation to perform and participate, perceived ability, perceived competence, personal satisfaction, enjoyment, and social status (Amorose, & Horn, 2001; Hollembeak, & Amorose, 2005; Reinboth, & Duda, 2004; Sheldon, & Eccles, 2005; Van-Yperen, & Duda, 1999). The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of gender (men’s vs. women’s sports) on motivation towards academics, athletics, and career choice. Data were gleaned from male and female athletes at one large Midwestern NCAA Division I University using the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire-2 (PMCSQ-2) and the Student Athlete’s Motivation toward Sports and Academics Questionnaire (SAMSAQ). Data are discussed and analyzed using various statistical methods and using Harter’s (1978) theory of perceived competence and Nicholls (1984) perceived theory of motivational climate to answer the theorized research question and hypotheses.

Factors that Influence the Academic Success of College Athletes Participating in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

“…Previous research examining the relationship between athlete academic success and GPA found variations across sport type and season of competition (Dilley-Knoles et al, 2010). Female athletes were found to have higher grade point averages (LeCrom et al, 2009;Staurowsky et al, 2020), and a coach, athletic department, and institution emphasizing high academic importance influences college athlete academic success (Ridpath, 2002;Tudor & Ridpath, 2018). While the 2.0 standard is the minimum for athletic eligibility, communicating a higher target of 3.0 and connecting students to support services may facilitate more athlete academic success and increase retention.…”

Examining classroom learning behaviors academic and athletic motivation in collegiate athletes

“…This prompted more researchers to study student-athlete motivation with both academic and athletic motivation in mind. Using the SAMSAQ, Tudor & Ridpath (2018) examined perceived motivational climate and motivation, discovering a task-involved climate in sports predicted both high sport motivation and high academic motivation. Continued application of the SAMSAQ with different constructs can contribute further to research on relationships connected to college student-athlete motivation.…”

Academic Identity, School Belongingness, Athletic Identity, and Athletic Expectations as Predictors of Academic and Athletic Time Use of College Athletes

“…Research likewise suggests that gender is a factor in academics among college students, with women more likely to commit more time in academic tasks than men (Hanson et al, 2011;Quadlin, 2016), and female student-athletes in particular are more academically motivated than their male counterparts (Tudor & Ridpath, 2019). The interaction of gender and race was also found to influence the student engagement of college students (Hu & Wolniak, 2013), while division level is assumed to impact time utilization in athletics (Comeaux et al 2011;Griffith & Johnson, 2002).…”