Nov. 2, 2010
CHICAGO - For the 11th straight year, the UIC Athletic Department graduated at least 80 percent of its student-athletes, and in 2009, once again exceeded the national average in the latest Graduation Success Report (GSR) released by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The Flames' overall GSR came in at 82 percent, three points higher than the national average of 79 percent. UIC's male student-athletes who entered school as freshman between 2000 and 2003 graduated at a 78 percent rate, while the female student-athletes compiled an 85 percent graduation success rate during the same time frame.
For the past nine years, the NCAA has been using the Graduation Success Rate to measure the academic success of Division I student-athletes. Unlike the federal graduation rates, the GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students and mid-year enrollees, and is calculated independently for every sport.
"For our student-athletes to perform above the Graduation Success Rate national average 11 years in a row is incredibly impressive," said UIC Director of Athletics Jim Schmidt. "Credit goes to our Academic Services staff for their dedication, but most importantly, to our student-athletes for putting in the necessary work in the classroom.
"We are committed to academic excellence at UIC, and will continue to create an atmosphere that will foster success in the classroom, and lead to student-athletes leaving our campus with their degrees in hand."
Since approximately 36 percent more student-athletes are included in the GSR reports, it is regarded as a more accurate measure of ultimate long-term success. The 2010 figures are based on freshmen who began their Division I careers from 2000-2001 through 2003-04.
Ten of UIC's 14 sports (the NCAA combines women's indoor and outdoor track and cross country into one sport) finished with a GSR higher than 80 percent, including perfect 100 percent rates for the men's swimming, men's tennis and women's tennis programs.
The Flames men's gymnastics team boasted a 92 percent GSR for the freshmen student-athletes who entered school between 2000-03, while UIC's volleyball program graduated its class at a 91 percent rate. The UIC softball team posted an 87 percent GSR; the women's swimming graduated its four-year student-athletes at an 85 percent rate; the Flames baseball team recorded an 84 percent GSR, while women's gymnastics and women's cross country/track programs posted graduation success rates of 83 and 82 percent, respectively.
The complete Graduation Success Rate reports for all Division I schools, as well as the Federal Graduation Rate data, which compares student-athletes to the general student body, are available online at www.ncaa.org.
