The William & Mary Athletics Department once again had an outstanding showing in the latest graduation rate data published by the NCAA on Tuesday, November 15th. For the 17th time in the last 18 years, the Tribe has the top Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) among all Division I public institutions.
“One of athletics department’s foundational tenants is our pursuit of all-around excellence,” said W&M Director of Athletics Brian D. Mann. “Seeing this comprehensive academic success across all our programs is a testament to the hard work of our coaches and staff to ensure we provide the opportunity for our student-athletes to develop into well rounded individuals. This good work ensures we live up to the commitment made to our student-athletes when they arrive on campus: that they will receive a world class education, participate in the highest level of collegiate athletics, and that each will leave our campus, degree in hand, with the tools necessary to lead a life of impact.”
William & Mary’s 88% FGR is well ahead of the national average for all student-athletes (69%) and was tied for the Tribe’s highest mark in the 18 years since the NCAA started aggregating the data. Overall, W&M ranks 10th out of all Division I athletics departments, with Northwestern (95%) and Stanford (93%) ranking one and two, respectively.
In addition to the Federal Graduation Rate reporting, NCAA Division I calculates a separate graduation metric called the Graduation Success Rate (GSR). W&M was also exceptional with an overall departmental score of 94%. The GSR differs from the FGR by also including students who transfer into an institution, and by removing athletes who transfer out in good academic standing. The NCAA’s overall single-year rate for the GSR held steady at 89% for the second straight year.
W&M had 11 teams report a 100% GSR. That list includes four teams who have achieved a perfect GSR every year, including men’s and women’s gymnastics, men’s tennis and women’s golf. The men’s golf team had a perfect score for the seventh year in a row and the women’s soccer team was honored for the sixth year in a row. Men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse were both on the perfect list for the sixth year in a row, while women’s swimming and women’s tennis both were noted for the fourth consecutive year. Finally, the men’s cross country and track & field teams earned a perfect GSR for the fourth year in a row. In total, 18 of the Tribe’s 19 programs (cross country and track and field are combined) had GSRs of 90 or higher.
The data above is covering the cohort of students who began higher education in the fall of 2015 and the four-year average of students who first enrolled between the fall of 2012 through the fall of 2015.
William & Mary Athletics remains among the nation’s elite in graduation rates
For the 17th time in the last 18 years, the Tribe has the top Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) among all Division I public institutions.
