Tech with strong numbers in latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate report

The Hokies' overall GSR was the best ever for the school and the best among public universities in the ACC

November 15, 2016

BLACKSBURG – The NCAA released its Graduation Success Rate data for member schools on Tuesday afternoon, and five Virginia Tech varsity programs recorded a four-year weighted average of 100 percent from the years encompassing 2006-10.

The NCAA developed the Graduation Success Rate formula, or GSR, as part of its 2003 academic reform initiatives to better measure student-athlete academic success. It differs from the federal graduation rate in several ways, most notably by not penalizing schools that have transfers who depart in good academic standing and by counting transfers who enroll into a school in good academic standing. The GSR also takes into account the academic standing of mid-year enrollees, whereas the federal formula does not.

The NCAA’s GSR metric allows student-athletes six years to earn their degrees. This year’s rate is based on the average of student-athletes who enrolled in 2006, 2007, 2008 and the most recent data of 2009 and also graduated within six years following their enrollment. Thus, those in the 2006 freshman class would have earned a degree by 2012; those in the 2007 class by 2013, those in the 2008 class by 2014, and those in the 2009 class by 2015.

Virginia Tech’s GSR combined for all 21 varsity sports listed (women’s golf hadn’t been added as a varsity sport and thus is not part of this report) was 92 percent – six percentage points above the national average. That percentage was the best ever for the school since the NCAA starting tracking data in this manner in 2004.

The Hokies’ 92 percent also ranked as the best among public universities in the ACC. In addition, the number was tied with Wake Forest for fourth behind Notre Dame (98), Duke (97) and Boston College (95).

The Hokies were one of 11 Football Bowl Subdivision schools in which every sport recorded a GSR above 77 percent. That list included Alabama, Duke, Michigan, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Stanford, Temple, Tulane, UCF and Vanderbilt.

The five Tech teams with GSR’s of 100 percent were men’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s soccer and women’s swimming.

In football, the Hokies’ GSR was 89 percent, a number that ranked fourth in the ACC behind Duke (94), Wake (91) and BC (90). Though not technically a league member for football, Notre Dame checked in at 93 percent. Tech’s 89 percent was a whopping 15 percentage points above the national average for schools in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

The football program’s numbers figure to go up in future years. Seven players graduated before the 2016 season even kicked off and nine others will have graduated by the end of this season.

In men’s basketball, the Hokies’ GSR was 80 percent, a number that ranked tied for sixth in the ACC with Georgia Tech and was six percentage points above the FBS national average. Duke and Notre Dame each recorded GSR’s of 100 percent.

In women’s basketball, the Hokies’ GSR was 92 percent and was five percentage points above the FBS national average. That number ranked eighth in the ACC. Five women’s basketball programs in the ACC were at 100 percent.

Six other Tech programs recorded a GSR of 90 percent or better, including women’s track and cross country (94), lacrosse (92), volleyball (92), baseball (91), softball (90) and men’s swimming (90). None of the school’s Olympic sport programs were worse than 87 percent.

Fifteen Tech programs recorded a single-year GSR of 100 percent for freshman class of 2009-10 – meaning all freshmen who enrolled in these respective sports graduated within six years. This group includes baseball, men’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s soccer, men’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis, men’s cross country and track and field, wrestling, women’s basketball, softball, women’s soccer, women’s swimming, women’s tennis, women’s cross country and track and field, and volleyball.

For those interested in reading more about the NCAA and the latest GSR report, please click here.

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