Patriot League Graduation Report Numbers at a Glance (.PDF)
NCAA Release
 
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Patriot League recorded a 94 percent graduation success rate (GSR) and 83 percent federal graduation rate (FGR) in data released by the NCAA on Wednesday. The League ranked among the NCAA Division I leaders in both measures of academic success for student-athletes.
 
The League’s 83 percent FGR marked the best score in the nation for the 13th consecutive year, finishing 15 points above the national overall average (68). The League’s 94 percent GSR tied for the third-best mark among DI conferences and four points above the national average (90). The Patriot League has been among the NCAA DI top conferences in GSR each year since the NCAA began publicly releasing the data.  
 
The graduation rates are the most recent recorded graduating class that started school in 2018. In the four-year average of classes from 2015-2018, each Patriot League institution has a GSR of 91 percent or better. Colgate led the way with a 98 percent GSR. Boston University, Bucknell, Holy Cross and Lafayette finished at 97 percent, with Lehigh and Loyola Maryland following at 96 percent. Navy (94), American (93) and Army West Point (91) all exceeded the national student-athlete Graduation Success Rate of 90 percent.
 
Colgate also posted the Patriot League’s highest FGR score at 92 percent, with Lehigh following at 91 percent. Boston University, Bucknell and Holy Cross were close behind at 87 percent, with Lafayette (81), Loyola Maryland (80) and American (71) all finishing above the national average of 68 percent. Army West Point and Navy do not report federal graduation rates because they do not offer athletics aid.
 
The Patriot League continued to excel in the most recent GSR and FGR results for individual sports released by the NCAA, including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball and football.
 
The Patriot League’s 10 women’s basketball programs tied for the best GSR score (100) and posted the highest FGR score (93) among NCAA DI conferences. Boston University, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Loyola Maryland recorded perfect GSR scores, with Army West Point (95), American (92) and Navy (88) all finishing above the national average. Boston University and Lehigh finished with perfect FGR scores, while Colgate (93), Bucknell (92), Holy Cross (92), Loyola Maryland (92), American (85), and Lafayette (71) all finished above the national average.
 
Patriot League football leads NCAA Division I (FCS and FBS) in FGR (76) and ranks second in GSR (92). Colgate recorded a League-high 91 percent FGR, with Lehigh (87), Georgetown (85), Bucknell (81), Fordham (81), Holy Cross (79), Lafayette (76) and Richmond (76) finished above the national average. Georgetown’s 97 percent GSR score led the League, followed by Colgate (96) and Richmond (96). Bucknell (95), Fordham (95), Lafayette (93), Holy Cross (91) and Lehigh (91) exceeded the national average.
 
Patriot League men’s basketball recorded the highest FGR score (67) among NCAA DI conferences, with Boston University (85), Bucknell (75), Lafayette (73) and Colgate (69) finishing above the national average. The League’s men’s basketball programs had the fifth-ranked GSR score (91), with Holy Cross, Lafayette and Loyola Maryland registering perfect scores, and Army West Point (95), Navy (93), Boston University (93) finishing above the national average.
 
The six Patriot League baseball teams finished first in NCAA DI in FGR (100) and fourth in GSR (97). Bucknell, Holy Cross and Lehigh had perfect FGR scores, and Lafayette (85) finished above the national average. Four teams posted perfect GSR scores, including Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh, with Army West Point (94) and Navy (93) finishing above the national average.
 
Overall, 103 Patriot League-sponsored teams reported a perfect 100 percent GSR. Thirty-one teams reported perfect FGR scores.
 
The Division I Board of Directors created the GSR in response to Division I college and university presidents who wanted data that more accurately reflected the mobility of college students than the federal graduation rate. The federal rate counts any student who leaves a school as an academic failure, whether they enroll at another school. The GSR formula removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere. This calculation provides a more complete and accurate look at student-athlete success. The federal graduation rate remains the only measure to compare student-athletes with the general student body.
 
For the NCAA report, along with data for all schools, conferences, sports and years, CLICK HERE.
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.