Virginia matches highest NCAA Graduation Success Rate

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The NCAA released its annual Graduation Success Rate data Wednesday for the 2014-15 to 2017-18 freshman cohorts.

Cavalier student-athletes covered during the current report matched their highest graduation rate at 96 percent for the second consecutive year. UVA also achieved the 96 percent rate in 2023 and 95 percent in 2022. The NCAA launched the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) program in 2002. The NCAA’s national average for this year’s reporting range is 91 percent.

“Our 96 percent NCAA Graduation Success Rate indicates the outstanding commitment to academic excellence at the University of Virginia,” Director of Athletics Carla Williams said. “Our student-athletes continue to demonstrate a remarkable commitment to academics and athletics. We also appreciate the tremendous support our student-athletes receive from our coaches and development staff to achieve at this level.”

The Graduation Success Rate measures graduation rates for student-athletes by team. The GSR considers student-athletes who are on scholarship their first year and who graduate from their respective universities or leave their programs, via transfer to other universities or for professional opportunities, while in good academic standing.

Figures released Wednesday reflect graduation numbers among student-athletes who entered college in 2017. The NCAA has tracked GSR for more than two decades, and student-athletes have surpassed the original benchmark goal of 80 percent, with long-term graduation rate increases being observed year after year from an overall 74 percent in 2002 to this year’s 90 percent.

A complete and searchable Graduation Rates Report is available online at NCAA.org.

The data shows that 17 of 21 of Virginia’s programs matched or exceed the national average (90 percent) for their respective GSR scores. A total of 10 UVA programs recorded perfect 100 percent graduation rates: men’s cross country and track & field, men’s golf, women’s basketball, women’s cross country and track & field, women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, softball, women’s swimming & diving, women’s tennis and volleyball.

The Virginia volleyball program posted a 100 percent graduation rate for the 20th consecutive year, which covers the entire history of the report. The Cavalier women’s golf team had a 100 percent rate for the 15th straight year, which covers the history of its program. Women’s cross country/track & field and women’s swimming achieved a perfect mark for the 11th straight year. The UVA women’s lacrosse team had its 15th 100 percent graduation total in the history of the report.

ABOUT THE NCAA’s GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE

The NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) is designed to show the proportion of student-athletes on any given team who earn a college degree. The NCAA has imposed a new set of academic standards that seeks to hold teams and institutions accountable for how well a student-athlete progresses toward a degree.