Athletics posts 83% Graduation Success Rate

Women's soccer graduates

Northern Arizona University student-athletes posted an 83 percent Graduation Success Rate, the highest in the Big Sky Conference and of the three state universities, according to information released this week by the NCAA.

The golf and volleyball programs led the way, with a perfect mark of 100. Four programs earned a 90 percent or better GSR, including soccer, women’s basketball, women’s swimming and diving and women’s track and field/cross country. Swimming and diving has been above 90 percent for seven straight seasons.

At 72 percent, the football program equaled its highest rate for the second consecutive season.

The NCAA Graduation Success Rate measures athletes’ graduation success rates at Division I institutions, including transfer student-athletes. The GSR also allows institutions to subtract student-athletes who leave their institutions prior to graduation, as long as they would have been academically eligible to compete had they remained.

The rate was developed in response to college and university presidents who wanted graduation data that more accurately reflect the mobility among college students.

NAU’s 83 percent graduation success rate equaled the Lumberjacks’ best mark since the NCAA created the system.