Rutgers Athletics Hits High Academic Success Rates

Seven athletics programs at Rutgers University scored a perfect 100 in the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate report, released Thursday. Overall, 18 of the Scarlet Knights’ 20 programs scored 80 percent or above, according to the University.

The men’s basketball, rowing, gymnastics, tennis, volleyball and the men’s and women’s golf teams all scored a perfect 100. The men’s basketball team is tied for No. 1 nationally, as well as among all former Big East conference members and current members of the Big 10.

The football team scored a score of 85, the best among former Big East members and tied for second among current Big 10 members. It is also ranked 12th nationally.

“The numbers indicate that the coaches and the athletic department are committed to academic success,” Scott Walker, Executive Director of Academic Support Services for Student Athletes, said in a prepared statement. “Our student-athletes have shown success in their sport, while not losing sight of the ultimate goal; graduation.”

 Five of eight Rutgers men’s teams and nine of their 12 women’s teams were above the average among universities included in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), which accounts for the top 125 institutions in the country.

The women’s soccer and softball teams scored the highest among programs not to reach 100 with scored of 94.

They were followed by the swimming team, which scored a 92; women’s lacrosse team scored a 93; women’s track and field team scored a 90; men’s track and field team scored an 89; the baseball team scored an 86; the field hockey team scored an 83; the men’s lacrosse scored an 82;  and the women’s basketball team scored an 80.

Earlier this year, the football program was the only one from a state university ranked in the top 10 percent nationally in the NCAA’s National Academic Progress Report for the sixth consecutive year.

The Graduation Success Rate is a four-year measure of freshmen and transfer student-athletes who entered between the fall of 2003 and the spring of 2007. Institutions are not penalized for student-athletes who transfer in good academic standing, and student-athletes who transfer into the institution and receive athletics aid are included.

Rutgers’ success comes in a year in which 84 percent of football players at the highest level are graduating, a record benchmark for the NCAA, according to espn.com.

For additional information on the GSR and to search the NCAA database, please visit http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/NCAA/Academics/Division+I/Graduation.