THIBODAUX – Several Nicholls State University athletics teams have either improved upon their previous Graduation Success Rates or exceeded (or met) the current national averages for Division I schools, according to statistics released this week by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The NCAA developed the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) to assess the academic success of student athletes more accurately than the federal graduation rate, which does not include transfer students in its measurements.
The GSR rates for the Nicholls softball and men’s tennis teams – 90 and 100, respectively – exceed the national Division I averages for these sports, both of which are 86. The Nicholls volleyball team meets the national Division I volleyball average with a GSR of 88.
In terms of academic progress, nine Nicholls teams have either met or exceeded the GSR rates of the previous six-year cohort, which began in 2003. Baseball and women’s tennis have held steady at 71 and 67, respectively. Teams exceeding the previous cohort’s GSR rates include volleyball, with a 24-point increase; men’s track, 15; women’s basketball, 14; men’s basketball, 13; football, 12; women’s track, 6; and softball, 5. The overall GSR for Nicholls student athletes increased by eight points.
“We are quite pleased with the academic improvement of our student athletes,” Dr. Stephen T. Hulbert, university president, said. “Our athletics staff, faculty and students all deserve commendation for their commitment to academic excellence.”
For additional information, go to web1.ncaa.org/GSRSearch/exec/homePage.
