INDIANAPOLIS – For the sixth consecutive year, Illinois State student-athletes have earned a 90 percent Graduation Success Rate as announced today by the NCAA. The Redbirds' 90 percent multi-year rate equals the national multi-year average for all Division I institutions for student-athletes entering from 2014-15 through the 2017-18 academic year. ISU's muti-year score has not been below 85 percent since 2002.
Illinois State's single-year rate of 94 percent exceeds the NCAA's overall single-cohort graduation success rate of 91 percent. The Redbirds' Federal Graduation Rate single-year (2017-18) rate of 73 percent exceeds the same for that of ISU's student body by 7 percent.
"While academic excellence has become the standard in Redbird Athletics, I don't want anyone to underestimate how impressive these results are nor how hard the student-athletes, coaches and staff work to make these numbers possible," Illinois State Interim Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs said. "It takes a culture where everyone buys in to the priority of academic excellence."
Ten of 15 Redbird teams recorded a GSR that equaled or exceeded the national average in their respective sport. Those sports are: baseball, football, men's tennis, women's golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, women's tennis and volleyball.
Seven of those teams achieved perfect 100 percent GSR rates including: women's golf, men's tennis, women's tennis, gymnastics, women's soccer, softball, and volleyball. Four additional teams achieved a 90 percent or higher score, including women's basketball, baseball, women's swimming & diving, and men's golf.
"The increases and record highs in graduation success rates over the last two decades demonstrate the unique talents, abilities and tenacity of college athletes to achieve academic excellence, while performing at the highly competitive level of Division I athletics," Robert Davies, president emeritus of Central Michigan and chair of the Division I Committee on Academics said. "The Committee on Academics applauds student-athletes for their remarkable achievements and celebrates college educators and campus leaders for their commitment to advancing student-athlete academic success."
For a full listing of NCAA Division I Graduation Success Rates and the full database with trends, click HERE.
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