America East Graduation Success Rate Among the Best in the Nation
INDIANAPOLIS - America East student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom, graduating at a higher rate than the national average and placing the conference among the best in the country according to Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data released by the NCAA Wednesday.
Overall, the conference tied for the fourth-best GSR nationally among more than 30 Division I conferences with a 91 percent GSR. Both are all-time bests for the conference.
“We are extremely proud of the success that our student-athletes achieve in the classroom and the importance they, our athletic programs and institutions place on academics,” said America East Commissioner, Amy Huchthausen. “Academic excellence is one the #3Pillars of America East and something we value immensely. It’s great to see data that supports our vision and to see that excellence recognized.”
Need to Know
- Tied for fourth nationally among conferences with a 91 percent GSR.
- The T-4 ranking is the best in conference history.
- The 91 percent conference GSR is two points higher than last year and is the highest in conference history. It is also four points higher than the national average of 87 percent.
- America East is one of just two conferences, and the only that ranks in the top third nationally, to improve its GSR each of the last four years.
- Tied for fourth in men’s basketball with a 92 percent GSR, both bests in conference history.
- Top 10 (T-9) in women’s basketball with an 89 percent GSR.
- 23 AE programs (16 women, 7 men) had a 100 percent GSR.
- Men’s basketball had five programs with a 100 percent GSR – the most of any AE sport program.
- Binghamton, Hartford, New Hampshire and Vermont all tied for the highest AE overall institutional GSR at 92 percent.
The NCAA 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, no matter whether he or she enrolls at another school. Also, the federal rate does not recognize students who enter school as transfer students.
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 makes it a more complete and accurate look at student-athlete success. The rate also allows for a deeper understanding of graduation success in individual sports than the federal metric, which provides only broad groupings.
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.
- #3Pillars – Building the Complete Student-Athlete -