Maryland Ties All-Time High GSR Score
10/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | The Barry & Mary Gossett Center for Acad, Terrapin Athletics
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland tied its all-time high institutional Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 86 percent in figures released today by the National Collegiate Athletics Association. It marks the fifth time in the ten-year history of the metric that Maryland has been above 80 percent and the fifth straight year the campus set or tied a school record. Maryland's previous-best GSR of 86 percent came in 2013.
Maryland's four-year Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) for student-athletes was 70 percent, four percent higher than the overall NCAA Division I average of 66 percent.
The Graduation Success Rate is a four-year measure of freshmen and transfer student-athletes who entered the University of Maryland between the fall of 2004 and the spring of 2008. It does not penalize the institution for those student-athletes who transfer from Maryland in good academic standing, as the FGR does. In addition, the GSR includes student-athletes who transfer into the institution and receive athletics aid, unlike the FGR.
The Maryland men's basketball program scored a perfect 100 percent GSR for the first time in program history also higher than the NCAA average of 72 percent. The football program posted a mark of 74 percent which is also highest in program history and higher than the NCAA average of 71 percent. Women's basketball posted a GSR score of 92 percent, 7 percent higher than the NCAA average.
Overall, Maryland's GSR rate of 86 percent is four percent better than the NCAA average of 82 percent.
“I am very proud of the progress our student-athletes are making in the classroom,” said director of athletics Kevin Anderson. “Our goal is to be the best Intercollegiate Athletics program in the country and in doing so, graduating and preparing our student-athletes for life after Maryland are of the utmost importance”.
“It is exciting to see our student-athletes excel knowing all of the hard work that they put forth day-in and day-out,” said Chris Uchacz, associate A.D. for academic services and career development. “Serving our WHY is a total team effort and it shows.”
In this most recent data, 15 teams at Maryland earned GSRs at or above 80 percent.
Field hockey, gymnastics, women's soccer, and volleyball had perfect 100 percent GSR scores. In addition to field hockey, gymnastics, women's soccer, and volleyball women's basketball (92), and women's lacrosse (94) also improved their GSR score from the previous year.
Overall, the men's basketball and golf teams achieved 100 percent GSR scores, marking the highest-scoring men's teams at Maryland. In addition to men's basketball, football and golf, other men's programs to secure improved GSR scores include men's soccer (92) and wrestling (87).
The GSR and FGR are separate from the NCAA's Academic Performance Rates, which will be released in spring 2015.
