Oct. 4, 2007

ATHENS, Ohio-Ohio student-athletes who entered school between 1997 and 2000 boast a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 83 percent, six points higher than the national Division I institutional average of 77 percent according to figures released Wednesday by the NCAA.

Ohio posted a GSR of 82 percent in last year's numbers, which was five percent better than the national average.

In this year's edition, nine of the Bobcats' 16 varsity sport programs posted rates of 86 percent or better. Four programs had perfect scores (field hockey, men's and women's golf and women's swimming/diving). The other top scores were women's soccer (96), women's cross country/track and field (91), volleyball (88), women's basketball (87) and men's basketball (86).

"Ohio student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom and their graduation success rate is a tremendous point of pride for our university," said Ohio Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt. "I commend our current and former student-athletes for their tremendous dedication and focus toward academic success."

The men's basketball program's score of 86 percent is 22.4 percent higher than the national average, while the Ohio football team's mark of 77 percent is 10.4 percent higher than the national football mark.

The NCAA developed the GSR three years ago to more accurately assess long-term student-athlete academic success. The GSR differs from the federally mandated graduation-rate methodology in that it counts transfers into and out of an institution. Data show the GSR includes 36 percent more student-athletes than the federal graduation rate.