UNT Student-Athletes Graduating At Record Pace
11/15/2018 2:04:00 PM | Academics
DENTON – North Texas student-athletes tied their best-ever score in the Graduation Success Rate (GSR), the NCAA announced this week. The most-recent data revealed that Mean Green student-athletes are graduating at an 83 percent rate, which ties the record score they set last year.
"I'm proud that our student-athletes continue to achieve academic success at historic rates," North Texas Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. "It is a collaborative effort with administrators, coaches and support staff, but ultimately, our student-athletes take pride in preparing themselves to accomplish their academic goals."
The most recent GSR information is based on the four freshmen classes that entered school from 2008 through 2011. It allows a six-year window in which student-athletes can go on to earn their degree. The combined 83 scored for all 12 sports ties last year's numbers as the highest it has ever been since GSR data collecting began with the 1995-98 cohort.
This marks the ninth-straight year of GSR data that Mean Green student-athletes have improved or maintained their cumulative score, improving from a score of 67 in the 2008-09 data to the current 83. The Mean Green tennis team and women's golf team led the way with a perfect GSR score of 100. Soccer (95) and volleyball (93) had the two next-best scores. The football program posted an 80 in the most recent GSR numbers, which is three percent better than the Div. I national average of 77.
The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately measure the academic success of Division I student-athletes by better accounting for the many different academic paths followed by today's college students. The NCAA also released the most recent federal graduation rate data in conjunction with the GSR information. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students, whereas the federal graduation rate does not. The GSR also accounts for mid-year enrollees. The NCAA calculates the federal graduation rate for student-athletes because it is the only rate by which to compare student-athletes to the general student body.
