Oct. 27, 2011
Center Valley, Pa. - The NCAA academic reports are in, and once again the Patriot League came away with flying colors as all eight schools scored well above the national average and among the top in the country in the latest graduation success and federal graduation rates released this week.
The data was compiled for the four-class average of student-athletes that entered their schools from 2001-04.
All eight Patriot League schools scored above 85 percent in graduation success rates, putting the entire League at or near the top of the NCAA charts. American and Colgate each managed a nearly perfect 99 percent GSR to tie for third place nationally, and were followed closely by Holy Cross (98), Bucknell (97), Lafayette (97) and Navy (96) along with Army (90) and Lehigh (86). Holy Cross, Bucknell and Lafayette joined American and Colgate in the top 10 nationally in GSR, giving the Patriot League as many schools in the top 10 as any other conference in the country.
Patriot League members combined to have 85 League-sponsored teams reporting a perfect 100 percent graduation success rate, a total that accounts for nearly two-thirds of all League squads. The total is one more than last year's nearly equally strong performance.
Meanwhile, only a handful of Patriot League teams came in below the national average graduation success rate of 80 percent, and fewer than 10 League-sponsored teams were below an 85 percent graduation rate.
Two Patriot League sports had all of their members record a perfect graduation success rate, as each of the seven women's lacrosse and six field hockey teams notched 100 percent scores.
Holy Cross and Colgate each had 16 Patriot League-sponsored sports post a perfect 100 percent graduation score, while Bucknell had 15 and Lafayette came in with 12. When you add in teams that do not participate in the Patriot League, Holy Cross, Colgate and Bucknell each had 18 overall programs with perfect marks. Six schools combined for 11 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 96. That mark is two higher than last year.
The NCAA four-year graduation rate of 80 percent marked a new high for Division I athletics, and the single-year GSR for student-athletes who began college in 2004 is 82 percent, also a new high.
The NCAA also released the federal graduation rates for the classes entering from 2001-04. Student-athletes at all six reporting Patriot League schools scored at least 12 percent better than the national average of 65 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 the nation with a 92 percent federal graduation rate for the four-class average from 2001-04. Bucknell was right behind at 90 percent, followed with strong performances from Lafayette (89), Colgate (86), American (84) and Lehigh (77).
Of the 85 Patriot League teams that recorded perect graduation success rates, 33 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