Photo courtesy of GopherSports.com.
The University of Minnesota today announced that its student-athletes have posted a program-record 92 percent graduation rate, as measured by the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR).
This year’s GSR, which focuses on the six-year cohort who came to the U as freshman in 2010, was two points higher than last year’s 90-percent mark, which was the previous department record. Gopher Athletics has improved its GSR dramatically since the measure was first used by the NCAA in 2005. This year’s GSR is 25 points higher than that first GSR from 12 years ago.
“When I talk to recruits and their parents before these young men and women take their very first class or participate in their very first practice at Minnesota, I promise them two things. Athletically, we will help you compete at the highest level. Academically, we will give you the resources to leave this world-class institution with a college degree,” said Athletics Director Mark Coyle. “Today’s GSR news validates the second part of that promise. It will always be our priority for Gopher student-athletes to graduate and leave campus prepared to take on the world as the future leaders of our communities, and I appreciate the dedication our students and academic staff have shown to making it their top priority as well.”
The GSR shows the percentage of student-athletes on any given team who earn a college degree within six years of starting school. It represents data from first-time freshmen, student-athletes who entered at midyear, and student-athletes who transferred into the University of Minnesota between 2007 and 2010. It excludes student-athletes who transfer from the university in good academic standing.
“Whether it’s our department’s grade-point average or our graduation success rate, we’ve seen record numbers in the past several years and that all starts with our students and their commitment to academic excellence,” said JT Bruett, director of the McNamara Academic Center for Student-Athletes. “We are also fortunate to have administrators and coaches who emphasize performance in the classroom and an outstanding academic center staff. The results speak to the positive focus on academics throughout our entire department.”
The NCAA also released Federal Graduation Rates in its report, which categorizes as non-graduates any student-athletes who transfer from or leave their initial school for any reason, even if they leave in good academic standing or subsequently graduate from another institution. Gopher Athletics had a 79 percent grad rate using this measure, a three-percent improvement from last year.
Graduation Success Rates for all 11 Gopher women's programs were 87 percent or higher and nine at 90 percent or better. Six programs were a perfect 100 percent in the latest report: basketball, gymnastics, hockey, soccer, tennis and volleyball.
Eight Gopher men’s programs achieved Graduation Success Rates of 83 percent or higher and six were above 90 percent, led by cross county/track and field, golf, gymnastics and tennis all achieving 100 percent rates.