Nov. 1, 2007

Center Valley, Pa. - Student-athletes at all five reporting Patriot League schools scored at least 15 percent better than the student-athlete national average for federal graduation rates for the class that entered in the fall of 2000, according to data released by the NCAA.

Patriot League schools also scored at least 20 percent better than the national average for the four-class average of student-athletes that entered from 1997-2000.

Colgate and Holy Cross led all Patriot League schools with a 90 percent graduation rate for all student-athletes that entered in the fall of 2000. Bucknell was the Patriot League leader with a 90 percent graduation rate for student-athletes in the four-class average entering from 1997-00.

For student-athletes that began in the fall of 2000, Bucknell had an 87 percent graduation rate, while Lafayette was at 86 percent and Lehigh was at 78.

Colgate had an 89 percent graduation rate for student-athletes in the four-class average, with Holy Cross at 87 percent, Lafayette at 83 and Lehigh at 82 percent.

League members Army and Navy were not included in the student-athlete data because they do not offer athletics aid, while American did not begin competing in the Patriot League until the fall of 2001.

The overall Division I graduation rate average for student-athletes in the fall 2000 class was 63 percent, while the rate for student-athletes in the four-class average was 62 percent. Both figures topped the national average for all students. A graduation rate (percent) is based on a comparison of the number of students who entered a college or university and the number of those who graduated within six years. The rate indicates the percentage of freshmen who entered during a given academic year and graduated within six years.

The report was also broken down to provide information about student-athletes who received athletics aid in six sports: football, men's basketball, baseball, men's track/cross country, women's basketball and women's track/cross country. It also included men's other and women's other to encompass all other sports.

Including the "other" categories, 14 Patriot League teams notched a perfect 100 percent graduation rate for the fall 2000 class, while Bucknell baseball, Lafayette women's basketball and Holy Cross women's track/cross country notched a 100 percent rate for the four-class average. Every Patriot League team and "other" category were above the national four-class average for student-athletes.