UI Student-Athletes Match School Records for Academic Success

Oct. 26, 2011

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The NCAA released its annual report on the academic progress of student-athletes across the country Tuesday and the numbers were exceptional for the intercollegiate athletics program at the University of Iowa in addition to being outstanding nationally.

According to the NCAA, 74 percent of the 171 student-athletes who enrolled in the UI in the fall semester of the 2004-05 academic year have earned their degree. The 74 percent – as measured by the federal government – ties the best ever posted by UI student-athletes; Iowa recorded a graduation rate of 74 percent in its 2001 report on the academic work of the class of 1994-95.

Iowa’s 74 percent graduation rate is 13 points better than a year ago, four points better than the graduation rate for all students who enrolled at the UI (70 percent), and nine percentage points better than the national average of 65 percent – the highest ever achieved by a single class of student-athletes nationwide.

“I’m so proud of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff for achieving this type of academic success. Every athletics program in the country strives toward, and talks about, `student-athletes.’ This is proof positive our young men and women are truly committed to that concept,” said Gary Barta, the UI’s director of athletics.

“As in the case of our athletic competition, we can’t take this year’s success for granted. We will all need to stay focused to keep this work ethic and culture in place for the future….again, I couldn’t be more proud of our student-athletes and this accomplishment,” added Barta.

The UI also tied a school record by posting a score of 86 percent in the NCAA’s “Graduation Success Rate” or GSR. The NCAA developed the GSR to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. Unlike the federal graduation rate, the GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer student-athletes. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees and is calculated for every sports.

Five different women’s teams at the UI posted perfect 100 GSR scores: Basketball, field hockey, golf, gymnastics and softball. In addition, the women’s swimming and diving, and rowing teams scored 95 and 93, respectively.

The baseball team paced Iowa’s men’s teams with a GSR of 96. It was followed by men’s gymnastics (88), men’s tennis (86), football (83) and cross country/track and field (81).

Iowa’s GSR’s in football (83), men’s basketball (73) and women’s basketball (100) all bested the national averages of 69, 68 and 86, respectively. In addition:

• Iowa’s women’s gymnastics team scored a perfect 100 on the GSR for the sixth consecutive year.

• Iowa’s women’s basketball scored a perfect 100 on the GSR for the third straight year.

• Iowa’s women’s golf team posted a perfect 100 on the GSR for the second straight year.

• The 100 posted by Iowa’s softball team is the first in the program’s history.

• The 96 GSR by Iowa’s baseball team is the best in program’s history.

• The 85 GSR by Iowa’s women’s cross country and track and field teams is the best in the program’s history.

• The 83 posted by Iowa’s football team is the best in the program’s history.

The most recent NCAA Division I Graduation Success Rates are based on the four entering classes of student-athletes from 2001-02 through 2004-05. Iowa has scored 81 percent or better in six of the seven GSR reports issued by the NCAA. The UI earned a GSR score of 84 last year. It scored its first 86 in 2001.

The NCAA noted that more than eight out of every 10 Division I student-athletes have earned their college degrees within six years, the highest marks ever for graduation. The GSR for student-athletes who began college in 2004 is 82 percent, a new high for the NCAA, three points higher than last year, and eight points higher than when the NCAA introduced the GSR a decade ago.