Rockets' Cochran accepted to UT medical school

2/15/2008

Clint Cochran has one more season left to play football at the University of Toledo, but he'll be sticking around the university for several more years.

Cochran, a quarterback from Wadsworth, Ohio, found out last week he has been accepted to UT's medical school for the fall of 2009.

"It's a really big load off my shoulders," Cochran said. "It's a good feeling to have that done."

Cochran was accepted a year early through a program in the Department of Bioengineering. If bioengineering students have the required grade point average, test scores, and pass the interview process, they can be accepted without taking the medical school entrance exam, the MCAT.

Only a handful of students are accepted each year. Students can apply out of high school or can apply while they have more than a year of undergraduate coursework left to complete. Cochran, who majors in biomedical engineering, will finish his undergrad degree in May, 2009.

"Because you commit early to the school, it's kind of a reward for committing, and it's nice to have to not put all the weight on one test," Cochran said.

Cochran has a 4.0 GPA and is interested in neurology. He said he had not initially considered going to medical school out of high school.

"I came to be an engineer," Cochran said. "It in a way came out of nowhere. I heard about this program two years ago. It's what really got me started thinking about going to med school."

Cochran played in five games last year, missing several games with an injured shoulder. He completed 33-of-61 passes for 408 yards and a touchdown.

"Workouts are going well, everybody's working hard and getting ready for another season," Cochran said. "We're ready to have a winning season."

NICHOLS TO BE HONORED: Former UT men's basketball coach Bob Nichols will have a banner hung from the rafters at Savage Hall in his honor. The ceremony will take place at halftime of the Western Michigan game on March 1.

Nichols coached at UT for 22 seasons and has the most wins of any Mid-American Conference coach with 376. He took the Rockets to three NCAA tournaments, including the Sweet Sixteen in 1979.

"The record speaks for itself, Bob Nichols is clearly one of the greatest coaches in UT and MAC history," UT athletic director Mike O'Brien said. "We felt the time was right to honor him with a permanent banner in Savage Hall."

WOMEN'S TENNIS AT HOME: The University of Toledo women's tennis team hosts Duquesne today at 6 p.m. at Laurel Hill Tennis Courts. UT is 3-2 and Duquesne is 3-1. The Rockets then travel to Columbus on Saturday to play Ohio State.

THINK PINK: Everyone who attends the UT women's basketball game tomorrow against Miami is encouraged to wear pink. The Women's Basketball Coaches Association started the "Think Pink" initiative last year to help raise breast cancer awareness.

Tickets for the game are $2 and 100 free pink T-shirts will be available.

MEN'S TENNIS HOT: The UT men's tennis team is 6-4 but beat two opponents with good records last weekend, a previously 6-1 Duquesne and 7-0 IUPUI.

This weekend, the Rockets travel to the University of Iowa and Purdue for meets.

Contact Maureen Fulton at: mfulton@theblade.com or 419-724-6160.