Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Four-Year Athletics Graduation Rate is Nation's Best
11/9/2006 7:00:00 AM | General
Nov. 9, 2006
NCAA Press Release
Associated Press Coverage
Chronicle of Higher Education Coverage
LEWISBURG, Pa. - According to federal data released by the NCAA and reported on by the Associated Press and The Chronicle of Higher Education, Bucknell's four-year student-athlete graduation rate was highest in the nation among student-athletes who entered college between the 1996-97 and 1990-2000 academic years.
The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that Bucknell was one of four institutions to graduate at least 90 percent of its student-athletes who enrolled during that four-year period. Bucknell posted a 93-percent rate, followed by Davidson (90 percent), Duke (90 percent) and Georgetown (90 percent).
Further, the Associated Press looked at one-year graduation rates for student-athletes who entered as freshmen in 1999-2000 and reported that Bucknell, Boston College, Duke and Northwestern all graduated at least 90 percent. Duke, at 91 percent, had the highest rating. The other three each had 90 percent rates, but Bucknell was the only school of the top four to exceed its overall student body grad rate (88 percent).
Interestingly, the national student-athlete graduation rate of 63 percent exceeded the graduation rate of all students (61 percent). In fact, every class since 1986 has demonstrated that student-athletes have graduated at rates higher than those of the general student body.
The NCAA's Graduation Success Rate data, which was released in September, differs in formula from the federal data in that the GSR factors in transfer students who do graduate, and does not penalize schools for losing transfers who leave in good academic standing.
In September Bucknell's men's basketball team was cited as being one of only 17 in the nation -- and one of two programs who finished the 2005-06 season ranked in the top 25 -- to boast a perfect 100-percent GSR.
Bucknell annually ranks among the national leaders in graduation rates, and the latest GSR report was no different, as 19 Bison programs achieved 100-percent figures, factoring in students who entered school during the four-year period between 1996-99.
Bucknell has previously led the nation in graduation rates three times, most recently in 2003, when it received a USA Today-NCAA Academic Achievement Award with a perfect 100 percent figure.
Bucknell sponsors 27 intercollegiate sports, including 14 for women, at the Division I level (I-AA football). It is a charter member of the Patriot League and has won the league's all-sports championship in 12 of the 16 years it has been contested, including 2005-06. Bucknell ranks fourth in Division I in producing Academic All-Americans.
