Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami Student-Athletes Graduate at 86 Percent Rate
10/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 27, 2010
OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami University's student-athletes continue to graduate at a rate far exceeding the national average, according to the latest data from the NCAA.
The NCAA's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data indicates that Miami's student-athletes graduate at a rate of 86 percent, seven percent better than the national rate of 79 percent and tops among all Mid-American Conference institutions.
The GSR calculations measure graduation in a six-year time frame from initial college enrollment. The methodology was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately measure the academic success of Division I student-athletes by better accounting for the many different academic paths followed by today's college students.
The GSR rates of nine different RedHawk teams--football (79%), men's and women's basketball (80 and 100%, respectively), men's and women's swimming (96 and 100%, respectively), men's cross country and track (81%), men's golf (100%), softball (100%), women's tennis (100%) and volleyball (100%)--rank at the top or tied for best among MAC schools. Other impressive rates were achieved by women's cross country and track (93%), women's soccer (92%) and field hockey (91%). Miami men's basketball players graduate at a rate 14 percent higher than that of its cohorts.
"Once again, we're very proud of our student-athletes and the coaches who recruit them to Miami University," said Miami Director of Athletics BRAD BATES. "It certainly demonstrates that excellence in the classroom and excellence in competition are compatible. This is a tribute to Miami's faculty, the prestige of this great university, and the students who strive to earn one of the greatest degrees in the world."
A six-year history of Miami University's graduate success rate shows that the general student body has remained steady at 83 percent for that period, three percent lower than Miami's student-athletes. Miami's entire student body ranks among the upper echelon of the nation's public institutions of higher learning.
The Graduation Success Rate for student-athletes who began college in 2003 is 79 percent. While this rate matches the GSR for the past two years and continues to be the highest ever in Division I, it has risen five points in nine years of GSR collection. Nearly 105,000 student-athletes included in the most recent four classes using the GSR methodology.
NCAA President Mark Emmert stressed that the data continue to help erase the perception of the so-called "dumb jock."
"Our work toward enhancing the opportunities for student-athletes to be successful academically isn't finished, but we continue to make progress," said Emmert. "Our student-athletes are engaged on their campuses, they are competing hard in all that they do, and they are achieving important successes on and off the field and court."
--www.MURedHawks.com--
