Thursday, December 2, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Great Northwest Athletic Conference continues to rank among the top conferences in Division II in academic success according to data on Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) and Academic Success Rate (ASR) released today by the NCAA.

The conference matched its all-time high in Federal Graduation Rate at 65 percent and attained an all-time high of 80 percent in Academic Success Rate. Both metrics track freshman student-athletes who entered college between 2011 and 2014 and are based on a six-year cohort as prescribed by the U.S. Department of Education.

The conference’s 65 percent FGR is tied for fifth among Division II conferences and is five points better than the overall Division II student-athlete rate of 60 percent. The rate is eight points higher than the FGR for all students at GNAC institutions and 13 points higher than the rate for all students at Division II institutions of 52 percent.

The 80 percent ASR is tied for ninth among Division II conferences and is four points higher than the Division II student-athlete ASR of 76 percent. The GNAC has realized an increase in ASR in each of the last five years.

Over the last 10 cohorts, the GNAC has ranked among the top 10 among Division II conferences in both metrics.

“The data released today by the NCAA is a reflection of the intentional emphasis placed on academic success by the GNAC’s student-athletes, coaches and administrators,” said commissioner Dave Haglund.  “While those of us in the conference rightfully take pride in the latest overall numbers – including those for Academic Success Rate and Federal Graduation Rate, both of which set or equaled all-time bests – we are just as pleased with the trend lines in the GNAC, which consistently show an upward climb in both statistical categories.”

In men’s sports, the GNAC saw an increase in FGR in basketball and cross country/track and field while also realizing a year-to-year increase in ASR in baseball, football, soccer and cross country/track and field. Among the conference’s women’s sports, FGR improved in basketball, softball and volleyball and saw a year-to-year increase in ASR in golf, softball, cross country/track and field and volleyball.

Nationwide, the national four-year ASR average increased two points to 76 percent while the entering class of 2014 was also at 76 percent. The FGR for all Division II student-athletes increased by one point to 60 percent while the general student body also increased by one point to 52 percent.

The Academic Success Rate differs from the Federal Graduation Rate in that it accounts for the outcomes of student-athletes who transfer from one institution to another (and removes students who left the institution in good academic standing). Because of this, the ASR captures approximately 40 percent more student-athletes than the federal rate.

The Division II ASR also measures outcomes for the approximately 31,000 student-athletes not receiving athletically related financial aid and who were enrolled in the four years covered in the most recent data.