Oct. 30, 2007

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland athletics department posted an institutional Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 78 percent in figures released Tuesday by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

That figure was an improvement of two points from the 76 percent rate posted in each of the last two years. The GSR eliminates those student-athletes who transfer out in good academic standing and adds those student-athletes who transfer in. The NCAA released team-by-team GSRs earlier this month.

In addition, Maryland's single-year federal graduation data for the 2000-01 cohort, also released today by the NCAA, was 69 percent for all student-athletes who received athletics aid from the institution as freshmen that year and who graduated during the NCAA-mandated six-year window. That figure ranked third among the eight ACC public institutions.

That figure continued a trend showing consistent strength, as it marked the sixth straight year the number was better than 65 percent. In the 10 years prior to that stretch, Maryland hit 65 percent only three times. The general student body at Maryland had a 79 percent graduation rate for freshmen entering in 2000-01.

The NCAA also released gender and ethnic breakdowns for federal rates and GSRs. Combining those students who entered the university between Fall 1997 and Fall 2000, female student-athletes had a 79 percent federal rate, while male student-athletes were at 64 percent. African-American and Caucasian female-student athletes were each at 81 percent, while White males measured at 69 percent and African-American males were at 52 percent. African-American males in the general student population graduated at a 54 percent rate.

The ethnic breakdowns for student-athletes mirrored those of the general student population. African-American student-athletes graduated at 60 percent for those four classes, compared with 62 percent for the entire campus.

"Every member of this department takes very seriously our commitment to assisting our student-athletes achieve their educational goals," said director of athletics Deborah A. Yow. "We have made it a departmental priority to continue to improve in this area. Our unwavering goal is to have graduation rates for student-athletes at 70 percent or higher on a consistent basis."