2025-26 Student-Athlete Handbook (PDF)
Athletic and Academic Counseling
All Xavier students are assigned counselors through their respective college. Counselors review students' schedules and review their progress for graduation among other topics. The faculty athletics representative also acts as a secondary athletics academic counselor to the student-athlete to ensure that students' schedules and progress toward graduation are met. Head Coaches also are responsible for tracking their student-athletes' class attendance, grade-point averages and progress toward degree completion. The athletics department believes very strongly that academics comes first and foremost, and its goal is to graduate 100% of its student-athletes.
Athletic Training & Sports Medicine
In conjunction with the Ochsner Health System's Sports Medicine Institute, the athletics department provides athletics training, rehabilitation and medical services through two full-time athletics trainers. The athletics trainers provide on campus training-room hours and provide coverage at home and away contests; as well as practices. A team of doctors also provides coverage at home games and handles all sports-related injuries and rehabilitation.
Student Services Division
The Student Services Division provides services for all Xavier students to complement and enhance the classroom experience and relate to the total education of the student. These services include Student Health Services, which students may visit whenever they are concerned about any type of health or physical problem that they are having. Student Health Services provides doctors and certified nurses to examine patients. Student Health Services is housed at the St. Joseph Academic and Health Resource Center, room 217, phone (504) 520-7396.
Champions of Character
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' Champions of Character provides training to ensure student-athletes know, do and value the right things in all areas of life. The five core values: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership are put into play, accounted for and tracked at all NAIA schools.
As an NAIA institution, Xavier University of Louisiana Athletics has developed a Champions of Character campus program that includes:
Ongoing character education for all student-athletes using the Champions of Character Live 5 orientation program.
Professional development for coaches, athletics administrative staff including completion of the Character-Driven Coaching course.
Emphasis on hospitality and game management of athletics events and conduct in competition
Servant leadership activities that promote student leadership and athletic community engagement
Ongoing oversight and assessment of progress in the program's implementation by both Xavier Athletics and the NAIA.
