University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Graduation Rates Leap Forward
11/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Both the NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and the Federal Graduation Rate (fed rate) for University of Minnesota student-athletes have edged into record territory.
According to graduation rate data released by the NCAA Wednesday, Gopher student-athletes scored a Graduation Success Rate of 76 percent, while Minnesota's Federal Graduation Rate surged to 71 percent.
Both figures, which are based on student-athletes who entered the University between 1999 and 2002, are all-time highs for Minnesota student-athletes since the NCAA began officially releasing graduation rate studies five years ago.
"The latest graduation rate figures released by the NCAA and the academic strides made by our student-athletes represent a significant achievement for Gopher Athletics," Director of Athletics Joel Maturi said. "We place a high priority on academic success and degree completion and it's great to see positive results from that commitment. Our student-athletes, coaches, faculty and McNamara Academic Staff should be commended for the progress that has been made. Continued improvement remains our goal; however I could not be more pleased with the current graduation rate trends of this department."
The 2009 Graduation Success Rate for Gopher student-athletes of 76 percent was a four-point improvement over Minnesota's 2008 GSR of 72 percent and an eight-point jump over the department's 68-percent rate released three years ago in the fall of 2006.
The Federal Graduation Rate for Gopher student-athletes showed even greater improvement. Minnesota was one of just three Big Ten athletics departments to score better than 70 percent as the fed rate for Gopher student-athletes surged to 71 percent.
Minnesota's latest Federal Graduation Rate score represents an 11-point improvement over last year's 60-percent fed rate and is also well ahead of the reported graduation rate for the University's general student body of 66 percent.
The Gophers' exhausted eligibility graduation rate, which tracks student-athletes who finish their playing eligibility at University of Minnesota, continues to be a source of pride, Maturi added. It indicates that over 90 percent of student-athletes who completed their eligibility as Gophers earned their degrees.
Graduation Success Rates for Minnesota's women's programs continue to excel, according to the study. All 11 programs posted GSRs of 75 percent or better with more than half (six) posting scores over 90 percent, including golf, softball, tennis and volleyball which each notched perfect scores of 100 percent.
On the men's side, baseball, cross country/track & field, swimming & diving and tennis posted GSR figures of 75 percent or better, while football and basketball continued to show solid gains.
The Graduation Success Rate was created by the NCAA in 2005 to more accurately reflect actual graduation rates by including transfer data in the calculation.
The federal graduation rate used by the Department of Education, by comparison, counts all student-athletes who transfer from or leave an institution for any reason as non-graduates from their initial school, even if they leave in good academic standing and subsequently graduate from another institution.
For more information on Graduation Success Rates, please visit www.ncaa.org.
