CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AXIOS) - The University of North Carolina at Charlotte will begin offering a new Bachelor of Science in sports analytics this fall.
Why it matters: Charlotte will be the only place in the Southeast offering this degree. Only four other schools offer a sports analytics bachelor’s degree nationwide, according to UNC Charlotte associate professor Abbey Thomas.
“Charlotte’s will be the only one focused on human performance,” Thomas said in a statement.
Other universities offering sports analytics programs are Rice, Akron, Syracuse and California Baptist.
The big picture:Analytics is a key component in the modern era of sports at every level as teams look for ways to gain a competitive edge, but it’s more than the product on the field.
Sports analytics spans every aspect of an organization or program, from the front office to the athletic training room.
Zoom in: For instance, Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC owner David Tepper put a greater emphasis on data analytics when he bought the Panthers in 2018 and made it a priority with Charlotte FC since the club’s inception in 2019.
What to expect: Students will work on their technical skills, including coding, and they’ll also use artificial intelligence, according to the school. Students can opt to intern with the university’s 19 NCAA Division I teams for credit hours.
Students will also have opportunities to learn from North Carolina’s professional sports teams.
A student’s trajectory after they earn their degree ranges from that of a sports analyst to sports medicine, including physical therapy, athletic training and strength and conditioning, according to the university.
Context: Thomas and 1994 Charlotte alum John Tobias will co-direct Charlotte’s new program, which is a collaboration between the university’s School of Data Science and College of Health and Human Services.
Thomas works in the College of Health and Human Services’ Department of Applied Physiology, Health, and Clinical Sciences.
Tobias is a sports analytics lecturer at the university’s School of Data Science. He’s also a senior analytical statistician with ESPN.
Thisstory from Axios Charlotte was published as part of a partnership.
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