Oct. 29, 2010
Center Valley, Pa. - Student-athletes at all eight Patriot League institutions once again posted impressive numbers in the latest NCAA release of graduation sucess rates and federal graduation rates. The data was compiled for the four-class average of student-athletes that entered their schools from 2000-03.
The Patriot League fielded the top program in graduation success rates, with Colgate coming in at a perfect 100 percent. The Raiders had tied for the top mark in the nation in the past two years. Holy Cross and Lafayette tied for third with 97 percent, while Navy tied for 10th at 96 percent. Bucknell (95), American (94), Army (90) and Lehigh (87) also came in with outstanding overall graduation success rates.
Patriot League members combined to have 84 League-sponsored teams reporting a perfect 100 percent graduation success rate, a total that accounts for nearly two-thirds of all League squads. Meanwhile, only a handful of Patriot League teams came in below the national average graduation success rate of 79 percent, and fewer than 10 League-sponsored teams were below an 85 percent graduation rate.
Three Patriot League sports had all of their members record a perfect graduation success rate, as all seven men's golf, men's tennis and women's lacrosse programs notched 100 percent scores.
Colgate had 17 Patriot League sponsored-sports post a perfect 100 percent graduation rate, while Holy Cross had 16, Bucknell came in with 14 and Lafayette had 12. When you add in teams that do not participate in the Patriot League, Colgate and Holy Cross each had 19 overall programs with perfect marks, while Bucknell recorded 17. Six schools combined for 10 teams that do not participate in the Patriot League which notched a perfect graduation rate, bringing the overall total from the eight full-member League institutions to 94.
All but one of Colgate's teams posted a perfect 100 percent graduation rate, with the football program just missing the mark at 99 percent. Holy Cross, Lafayette and Bucknell each had all of their teams reporting 85 percent or better graduation rates.
The NCAA also released the federal graduation rates for the classes entering from 2000-03. Student-athletes at all six reporting Patriot League schools scored at least 12 percent better than the national average of 64 percent for federal graduation rates. League members Army and Navy were not included in the student-athlete data for federal graduation rates because they do not offer athletics aid.
Holy Cross led all Patriot League schools and placed fourth nationally with a 90 percent federal graduation rate for the four-class average from 2000-03. Colgate was right behind by placing fifth in the nation at 88 percent, followed by Bucknell and Lafayette tied for seventh nationally at 87 percent. American (79) and Lehigh (76) also came in far above the national average for federal graduation rates.
Of the 84 Patriot League teams that recorded perect graduation success rates, 32 also notched a 100 percent score in federal graduation rates.
The graduation-rates report provides information about two groups of students at a college or university: (1) all undergraduate students who were enrolled in a full-time program of studies for a degree, and (2) student-athletes who received athletics aid from the college or university for any period of time during their entering year. The class that entered in 2001 is the most recent graduating class for which the required six years of information is available.
The graduation success rate differs from the federal graduation-rate formula in that it factors in transfer students who graduate, and does not penalize schools for losing transfers who leave in good academic standing.
For full NCAA data for all schools, conferences, sports and years, click here