NCAA Announces Graduation Success Rate

The University of Memphis recorded an all-time high in academic success as the NCAA released the current Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) reports on Wednesday.

In the latest examination of both reports the University of Memphis' numbers had a slight increase as the university graduated 85 percent of its student-athletes for the 2008 cohort and had federal graduation rate of 61 percent for the same time period.

For the 2007 cohort released at this time last year, Memphis' GSR was 84 percent and its FGR was 59 percent.

The FGR accesses only first-time, full-time freshman and only counts them as an academic success if they graduate from their institution of initial enrollment within a six-year period.

The GSR differs from the FGR in that it adds transfer students, mid-year enrollees and non-scholarship students (in specific cases) to the sample. This allows the GSR to more accurately look at student-athlete successes by taking in to account the full variety of participants in NCAA Division I and tracking their individual outcomes.

Overall, the Graduation Success Rates at NCAA Division I Institutions for the 2008 cohort was at 86 percent, two points up from the 2007 cohort, and the highest rate ever.

Memphis' overall 85 percent Graduation Success Rate ranks in the top half of the American Athletic Conference and regionally, is higher than Arkansas, Ole Miss and Tennessee. The list of other notable programs from Power 5 Conferences Memphis ranks ahead of in the latest GSR release includes Auburn, Kansas, LSU, Louisville, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and West Virginia among others.

Three University of Memphis teams recorded 100 percent GSRs for the 2008 cohort – Women's Golf, Women's Tennis and Volleyball. Memphis Baseball led the American with a 96 GSR while Men's Soccer scored a 94 percent and Men's Golf scored a 92 percent.

Men's Basketball scored an 83 percent for the 2008 cohort, which ranked tied for second in the American Athletic Conference. Women's Basketball scored an 85 percent.

While Memphis Football scored a 72 percent, the sport's numbers will show a dramatic rise in the annual GSR reports to come. Every senior member of the Tigers' 2014 American Athletic Conference championship and Miami Beach Bowl title team has already earned their degree from the University of Memphis.

University of Memphis Athletics

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