Nov. 4, 2015

The University of Notre Dame claimed a share of the 2015 national championship for graduating student-athletes in all sports – in the process posting the top NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) figure (98) for its student-athletes for the ninth straight year.

The GSR number for all Notre Dame student-athletes rates the Irish first (tied with Duke and Stanford) among the football-playing institutions in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A). The 2015 NCAA figures are based on entering classes from 2005 through 2008.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s institutional research determined additional academic highlights based on the NCAA-issued GSR and federal figures released today:

— Nineteen of 22 Irish athletic programs analyzed posted GSR figures of 100 percent, and nine produced federal rate 100 scores. It’s the seventh straight year Notre Dame’s programs have combined for 19 or more perfect GSR scores – including 2013 and 2014 with a record 20.

— For the 10th time in 11 years, Notre Dame ranks number one on a percentage basis in terms of number of GSR 100 scores, among all FBS schools.

— Nineteen of Notre Dame’s 22 men’s and women’s programs posted GSR numbers that rank them best in the nation within their sports–and 10 produced federal graduation rates that led all FBS institutions.

Whether measured by the federal government in its Department of Education report or by the NCAA through its GSR numbers, graduation rates for Notre Dame student-athletes once again rank either number one or among the handful of national leaders in five major categories among all major football-playing colleges and universities.

Notre Dame research shows Irish student-athletes in 2015 rank number one in two of 10 standings–ranking second in three others and third in two more. For the seventh year in a row Notre Dame leads the nation in GSR categories for all student-athletes (at 98) and female student-athletes (99).

In calculations including all student-athletes in all sports, Notre Dame ranks tied for first among the FBS schools in the GSR figures, which were initiated in 2005 by the NCAA. The University’s 98 percent GSR for all its student-athletes ranks tied with the figures for Duke and Stanford. Using the federal formula, Notre Dame graduated a four-year average of 90 percent of its student-athletes, behind only Stanford at 95.

In addition to its number-one GSR ranking for all student-athletes (98), Notre Dame finished tied for first among female student-athletes at 99, tied for second among male student-athletes at 97 percent (behind Stanford at 98) and tied for third among black student-athletes at 92 percent (behind Duke at 98 and Northwestern at 94). In football, Notre Dame ranked fifth at 93.

Notre Dame graduated 93 percent of all women competing in varsity athletics to rank second among its peer institutions based on the federal calculations (behind Stanford at 97). Among men, Notre Dame’s 89 percent federal rate was third (behind Stanford at 92 and Northwestern at 90). Notre Dame graduated 85 percent of its black student-athletes, ranking tied for fourth based on the federal rate, and Irish football players graduated at a 82 percent rate to rank sixth.

2015 NCAA Graduation Rates
All data for student-athletes who enrolled between 2005 and 2008 (numbers are percentages)

ALL STUDENT ATHLETES

GSR
1. (tie) Notre Dame, Duke, Stanford, 98
4. Northwestern, 97
5. Boston College, 95
6. (tie) Central Florida, Vanderbilt, 93
8. (tie) Alabama, Charlotte, Rice, Wake Forest, 92

Federal Rate
1. Stanford, 95
2. (tie) Notre Dame, Northwestern, 90
4. Duke, 86
5. Rice, 83
6. (tie) Michigan, Vanderbilt, 80
8. Penn State, 79
9. Wake Forest, 77
10. (tie) Boston College, Miami (Ohio), 76

MALE STUDENT ATHLETES

GSR
1. Stanford, 98
2. (tie) Notre Dame, Duke, 97
4. Northwestern, 96
5. Boston College, 92
6. Alabama, 90
7. Vanderbilt, 89
8. (tie) Central Florida, Rice, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, Wake Forest, 88

Federal Rate
1. Stanford, 92
2. Northwestern, 90
3. Notre Dame, 89
4. Duke, 84
5. Rice, 78
6. Penn State, 73
7. (tie) Michigan, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, 72
10. Charlotte, 70

FEMALE STUDENT ATHLETES

GSR
1. (tie) Notre Dame, Duke, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, 99
5. (tie) Boston College, Central Florida, Northern Illinois, Stanford, Wake Forest, 98
10. (tie) Clemson, Rice, Washington, 97

Federal Rate
1. Stanford, 97
2. Notre Dame, 93
3. (tie) Michigan, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, 91
6. Rice, 90
7. Duke, 89
8. Penn State, 86
9. (tie) Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Wake Forest, 85

BLACK STUDENT ATHLETES

GSR
1. Duke, 98
2. Northwestern, 94
3. (tie) Notre Dame, Rice, Stanford, 92
6. U.S. Air Force Academy, 90
7. (tie) Miami (Fla.), Utah State, 89
9. Central Florida, 88
10. Georgia State, 86

Federal Rate
1. (tie) Northwestern, Stanford, 90
3. Rice, 87
4. (tie) Notre Dame, Duke, 85
5. Charlotte, 76
6. (tie) Old Dominion, Tulane, 73
8. (tie) Clemson, Vanderbilt, 71
10. (tie) San Diego State, UCLA, Temple, 70

FOOTBALL STUDENT ATHLETES

GSR
1. Stanford, 99
2. Northwestern, 97
3. Rice, 95
4. Duke, 94
5. Notre Dame, 93
6. (tie), Central Florida, Wake Forest, 90
8. (tie) Boston College, UCLA, 89
10. U.S. Air Force, 87

Federal Rate
1. Northwestern, 93
2. Stanford, 92
3. Rice, 88
4. Duke, 86
5. Wake Forest, 83
6. Notre Dame, 82
7. (tie) Northern Illinois, Vanderbilt, 76
9. TCU, 75
10. (tie) Boston College, Ohio University, UCLA, 74

Since the NCAA first published GSR numbers in 2005, here are the trends for Notre Dame in all 10 categories over the 11 years of graduation rates (includes ranking and raw graduation percentage; SA stands for student-athletes):

ALL STUDENT ATHLETES

MALE STUDENT ATHLETES

FEMALE STUDENT ATHLETES

BLACK STUDENT ATHLETES

FOOTBALL STUDENT ATHLETES

Over the 11 years worth of numbers of both the federal rates and the GSR, Notre Dame has had 110 possible rankings in the five categories and 50 times ranked first, 26 times ranked second and 11 times ranked third.

The federally mandated NCAA Graduation-Rates Report covers students who enrolled between 2005 and 2008 at all Division I institutions. The federal graduation rates are based on the raw percentage of student-athletes who entered an institution and graduated within six years. Students who leave or transfer, regardless of academic standing, are considered non-graduates. All those receiving athletics aid are included in the statistics. All military academies are exempt from the federal survey because they do not offer grants-in-aid to student-athletes. The GSR was created to more accurately reflect actual graduation rates by including transfer data in the calculation. College and university presidents asked the NCAA to develop a new methodology that takes into account the mobility among students in today’s higher education environment. Research indicates approximately 60 percent of all new bachelor’s degree recipients are attending more than one undergraduate institution during their collegiate careers.

For the 10th time in 11 years, Notre Dame ranks number one on a percentage basis in terms of number of GSR 100 scores, among all NCAA FBS schools. Nineteen of 22 athletics programs at Notre Dame compiled graduation rates of 100 percent. It’s the seventh straight year Notre Dame’s programs have combined for at least 19 perfect scores – including 2013 and 2014 with a record 20. None of the FBS programs in the country had a higher percentage of 100 GSR scores than did Notre Dame with its .863 number (19 of 22).

In addition, Notre Dame ranked second among all FBS institutions with nine perfect scores among 22 sports (.409) in the federal graduation rate analysis.

Here are the top institutions in the GSR category (these are the only FBS institutions with 50 or more percent of their sports registering 100 marks):

Graduation Success Rate

Here are the top institutions in the federal category (these are the only eight FBS institutions with four or more 100 scores):

Federal Graduation Rates

NCAA figures released today show 10 of 11 Irish women’s programs posted a GSR of 100 percent–cross country/track, fencing, golf, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming/diving, tennis and volleyball. Among Notre Dame’s men’s sports, basketball, cross country/track, fencing, golf, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming/diving and tennis achieved 100 percent GSR scores. Baseball scored 96, and football came in at 93.

Overall, those 19 scores of 100 are equal to the number of perfect GSR scores from 2012, 2010, 2009 and 2008 for the Irish programs – and one short of the record of 20 from 2013 and 2014.

In the federal calculations, the nine Notre Dame programs with 100 scores were men’s fencing, men’s golf, men’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, women’s rowing, women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer and women’s tennis. Other top Notre Dame numbers in the federal analysis included men’s cross country/track and field at 95; hockey, women’s cross country/track and field and men’s swimming and diving at 94, and women’s volleyball at 92. In the federal standings Notre Dame’s baseball score ranked third, its men’s basketball score ranked fourth, its men’s soccer figure rated tied for fourth and its women’s fencing and football scores ranked sixth among FBS institutions.

Here are other previous finishes for Notre Dame in terms of the GSR numbers:

• In 2011 and 2007, Notre Dame ranked number one with 18 of its 22 sports recording 100 scores (.818).
• In 2005, Notre Dame had the highest percentage of its sports with 100 percent scores with a .800 figure (16 of 20).
• The 2006 data put Notre Dame’s percentage at .773 (17 of 22) to rank second behind the U.S. Naval Academy.

The 2015 GSR numbers are based on entering classes from 2005 to 2008, the 2014 GSR numbers on entering classes from 2004 to 2007, the 2013 GSR data on entering classes from 2003 to 2006, and the 2012 GSR numbers on entering classes from 2002 to 2005. The 2011 GSR numbers are based on entering classes from 2001 to 2004, the 2010 GSR numbers entering classes from 2000 to 2003 and the 2009 GSR data on entering classes from 1999 to 2002. The 2008 GSR numbers are based on entering classes from 1998 to 2001, the `07 data on classes from 1997 to 2000, the `06 data on classes from 1996 to 1999–and the `05 first-year GSR data was based upon the classes entering from 1995 to 1998.

Nineteen of Notre Dame’s men’s and women’s athletic programs posted GSR numbers that rank them best in the nation within their sports (including 19 perfect 100 scores)–and 10 produced federal graduation rates that led all NCAA FBS institutions (including nine perfect 100 scores).

Ten of 11 Irish women’s programs had GSR rates ranking them first within their sports among the NCAA FBS subset of schools. Nine of 11 Irish men’s programs had GSR rates ranking them first within their sports:

— Women’s cross country/track and field at 100 tied for first with eight other schools.
— Women’s crew/rowing at 100 tied for first with nine other schools.
— Women’s fencing at 100 tied for first with Duke, North Carolina, Stanford and Temple.
— Women’s golf at 100 tied for first with 58 other schools.
— Women’s lacrosse at 100 tied for first with 11 other schools.
— Women’s soccer at 100 tied for first with 21 other schools.
— Women’s softball at 100 tied for first with 22 other schools.
— Women’s swimming and diving at 100 tied for first with 24 other schools.
— Women’s tennis at 100 finished tied for first with 82 other schools.
— Women’s volleyball at 100 ranked tied for first with 55 other schools.
— Men’s basketball at 100 tied for first with 10 other schools.
— Men’s cross country/track and field at 100 tied for first with nine other schools.
— Men’s fencing at 100 tied for first with Duke, North Carolina, Ohio State and Stanford.
— Men’s golf at 100 tied for first with 45 other schools.
— Men’s hockey at 100 ranked first (tied with Bowling Green).
— Men’s lacrosse at 100 finished first (tied with Duke).
— Men’s soccer at 100 tied for first with Northwestern, Stanford and West Virginia.
— Men’s swimming at 100 tied for first with Alabama, Miami (Fla.) and North Carolina.
— Men’s tennis at 100 tied for first with 42 other schools.
— Baseball at 96 tied for third (with Boston College and Stanford) behind Duke and Vanderbilt (both at 100).
— Football at 93 finished fifth (behind Stanford at 99, Northwestern at 97, Rice at 95 and Duke at 94).

Five Irish women’s programs had perfect 100 federal rates, ranking them first within their sports among the NCAA FBS subset. Five Irish men’s programs had federal rates ranking them first within their sports (four with perfect 100 scores) among the NCAA FBS subset.

— Women’s crew/rowing at 100 finished first (tied with Old Dominion and Eastern Michigan).
— Women’s golf at 100 tied for first with 17 other schools.
— Women’s lacrosse at 100 tied for first with Duke and Stanford.
— Women’s soccer at 100 tied for first with Stanford.
— Women’s tennis at 100 tied for first with 15 other schools.
— Men’s fencing at 100 tied for first with Stanford.
— Men’s golf at 100 ranked tied for first with 16 other schools.
— Men’s tennis at 100 tied for first with 17 other schools.
— Men’s lacrosse at 100 finished–followed by Duke (95).
— Men’s hockey at 94 ranked first–followed by Miami (Ohio) at 73.
— Men’s cross country/track and field at 95 ranked fourth, behind Duke, New Mexico State and UTEP (all at 100).
— Women’s cross country/track and field at 94 ranked fourth behind Northwestern (100), Rutgers (100), Virginia and Temple (both at 95).
— Men’s swimming at 94 stood third behind North Carolina (100) and Stanford (95).
— Women’s volleyball at 92 tied for ninth with five other schools.
— Men’s soccer at 88 ranked tied for fourth (with Michigan State), behind Stanford (100), Northwestern (95) and Pittsburgh (92).
— Women’s fencing at 86 ranked sixth behind Duke, Ohio State, Stanford, Temple (all at 100) and Northwestern (96).
— Men’s basketball at 83 ranked fourth behind Old Dominion (92), Tulane (88) and Northwestern (86).
— Football at 82 ranked sixth behind Northwestern (93), Stanford (92), Rice (88), Duke (86) and Wake Forest (83).
— Baseball at 79 ranked tied for second (with Duke and Northwestern) behind Stanford (81).