Nov. 15, 2016

The University of Notre Dame has claimed a share of the 2016 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 10th straight year.

The GSR number for all Notre Dame student-athletes rates the Irish first (tied with Stanford) among the football-playing institutions in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A). The 2016 NCAA figures are based on entering classes from 2006 through 2009.

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

— Eighteen of 22 Irish athletic programs analyzed posted GSR figures of 100 percent, and 10 produced federal rate 100 scores.

— For the 11th time in 12 years, Notre Dame ranks number one on a percentage basis in terms of number of GSR 100 scores, among all FBS schools.

— Eighteen 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 11 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 2016 rank number one in three of 10 standings–ranking second in one other and third in two more. For the 10th year in a row Notre Dame leads the nation in GSR categories both for all student-athletes (at 98) and female student-athletes (99). Notre Dame’s GSR figure for male student-athletes ranks number one for the seventh time in eight years (this year at 97).

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 number for all its student-athletes ranks tied with the figure for Stanford. Using the federal formula, Notre Dame graduated a four-year average of 90 percent of its student-athletes, behind only Stanford at 95 and Northwestern at 91.

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 first among male student-athletes at 97 percent (with Stanford) and tied for fourth among black student-athletes at 90 percent (behind Stanford at 95, Duke at 94 and Northwestern at 91). In football, Notre Dame ranked sixth at 93.

Notre Dame graduated 95 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 87 percent federal rate was third (behind Stanford at 93 and Northwestern at 90). Notre Dame graduated 78 percent of its black student-athletes, ranking tied for fourth based on the federal rate, and Irish football players graduated at a 79 percent rate to rank tied for seventh.

2016 NCAA Graduation Rates

All data for student-athletes who enrolled between 2006 and 2009 (numbers are percentages)

All Student-Athletes

GSR

1. (tie) Notre Dame, Stanford, 98

3. (tie) Duke, Northwestern, 97

5. Boston College, 95

6. (tie) Central Florida, Tulane, Vanderbilt, 93

8. (tie) Charlotte, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, 92

Federal Rate

1. Stanford, 95

2. Northwestern, 91

3. Notre Dame, 90

4. Duke, 85

5. (tie) Rice, Vanderbilt, 83

7. Michigan, 80

8. (tie) Penn State, Virginia, Wake Forest, 78

Male Student-Athletes

GSR

1. (tie) Notre Dame , Stanford, 97

3. (tie) Duke, Northwestern, 96

5. Boston College, 91

6. (tie) Charlotte, Tulane, 90

8. (tie) Central Florida, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, 89

Federal Rate

1. Stanford, 93

2. Northwestern, 90

3. Notre Dame, 87

4. Duke, 83

5. Rice, 76

6. (tie) Michigan, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, 73

9. (tie) Penn State, Virginia, 72

Female Student-Athletes

GSR

1. (tie) Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, 99

3. (tie) Boston College, Central Florida, Duke, Stanford, Wake Forest, 98

8. (tie) Michigan, Northwestern, Rice, Tulane, 97

Federal Rate

1. Stanford, 97

2. Notre Dame, 9 5

3. Vanderbilt, 94

4. Rice, 93

5. Northwestern, 92

6. Michigan, 90

7. Illinois, 88

8. (tie) Duke, Penn State, 87

10. (tie) Boston College, Wake Forest, 86

Black Student-Athletes

GSR

1. Stanford, 95

2. Duke, 94

3. Northwestern, 91

4. (tie) Miami (Fla.), Notre Dame, South Carolina, 90

7. (tie) Central Florida, Rice, Tulane, 89

10. (tie) Clemson, Utah State, 88

Federal Rate

1. Stanford, 90

2. Northwestern, 87

3. Rice, 80

4. (tie) Duke, Notre Dame, 78

6. Clemson, 76

7. Vanderbilt, 75

8. Charlotte, 74

9. Tulane, 72

10. Wake Forest, 71

Football Student-Athletes

GSR

1. Stanford, 99

2. Northwestern, 97

3. South Carolina, 95

4. (tie) Duke, Rice, 94

6. Notre Dame, 93

7. (tie) Central Florida, Wake Forest, 91

9. Boston College, 90

10. Virginia Tech, 89

Federal Rate

1. (tie) Northwestern, Stanford, 92

3. (tie) Duke, Rice, 85

5. Wake Forest, 83

6. Appalachian State, 80

7. (tie) Clemson, Notre Dame, 79

9. Boise State, 76

10. Vanderbilt, 74

Since the NCAA first published GSR numbers in 2005, here are the trends for Notre Dame in all 10 categories over the 12 years of graduation rates (includes ranking and raw graduation percentage; SA stands for student-athletes):

Over the 12 years worth of numbers of both the federal rates and the GSR, Notre Dame has had 120 possible rankings in the five categories and 53 times ranked first, 27 times ranked second and 13 times ranked third.

The federally mandated NCAA Graduation-Rates Report covers students who enrolled between 2006 and 2009 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 11th time in 12 years, Notre Dame ranked number one on a percentage basis in terms of number of GSR 100 scores, among all NCAA FBS schools. Eighteen of 22 athletics programs at Notre Dame compiled graduation rates of 100 percent. None of the FBS programs in the country this year had a higher percentage of 100 GSR scores than did Notre Dame with its .818 number (18 of 22). Notre Dame’s programs combined for a high of 20 perfect scores in 2013 and 2014.

In addition, Notre Dame ranked second among all FBS institutions with 10 perfect scores among 22 sports (.454) 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

Institution Percentage 100 Scores/Sports Rated

1. Notre Dame .818 18/22

2. Vanderbilt .714 10/14

3. Stanford .667 18/27

4. Tulane .636 7/11

5. Duke .590 13/22

6. Boston College .565 13/23

7. Bowling Green .562 9/16

8. (tie) Central Florida .500 7/14

Rice .500 6/12

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

Federal Graduation Rates

Institution Percentage 100 Scores/Sports Rated

1. Stanford .592 16/27

2. Notre Dame .454 10/22

3. Duke .333 7/21

4. Michigan .217 5/23

5. Northwestern .210 4/19

6. Rutgers .181 4/22

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, lacrosse, soccer, swimming/diving and tennis achieved 100 percent GSR scores. Baseball scored 95, hockey finished at 94 and football came in at 93.

In the federal calculations, the 10 Notre Dame programs with 100 scores were men’s fencing, men’s golf, men’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, women’s rowing, women’s fencing, women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, softball and women’s tennis. Other top Notre Dame numbers in the federal analysis included men’s swimming and diving and women’s soccer at 95, women’s cross country/track and field at 94 and volleyball at 92.

In the federal standings Notre Dame’s baseball score ranked second, its men’s basketball and men’s swimming and diving scores tied for third, its men’s soccer figure rated tied for fourth, its women’s cross country and track and field scores ranked fifth, its volleyball number stood sixth and its football score ranked seventh among FBS institutions.

The 2016 GSR numbers are based on entering classes from 2006 to 2009, the 2015 GSR numbers 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.

Eighteen of Notre Dame’s men’s and women’s athletic programs posted GSR numbers that rank them best in the nation within their sports (all 18 with perfect 100 scores)–and 11 produced federal graduation rates that led all NCAA FBS institutions (including 10 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. Eight 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 nine other schools.

— Women’s rowing at 100 tied for first with five 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 61 other schools.

— Women’s lacrosse at 100 tied for first with 11 other schools.

— Women’s soccer at 100 tied for first with 26 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 73 other schools.

— Women’s volleyball at 100 ranked tied for first with 52 other schools.

— Men’s basketball at 100 tied for first with seven other schools.

— Men’s cross country/track and field at 100 tied for first with eight other schools.

— Men’s fencing at 100 tied for first with Air Force, Duke, Ohio State and Stanford.

— Men’s golf at 100 tied for first with 47 other schools.

— Men’s lacrosse at 100 finished first (tied with Duke).

— Men’s soccer at 100 tied for first with Northwestern, Penn State and Stanford.

— Men’s swimming at 100 tied for first with Alabama, Miami (Fla.) and Tennessee.

— Men’s tennis at 100 tied for first with 43 other schools.

— Men’s hockey at 94 ranked third behind Bowling Green at 100 and Air Force at 96.

— Baseball at 95 tied for fifth (with Iowa and Minnesota) behind Illinois and Kent State (both at 100), Boston College and Stanford (both at 96).

— Football at 93 finished sixth (behind Stanford at 99, Northwestern at 97, South Carolina at 95, Rice and Duke at 94).

Six 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–followed by Old Dominion and North Carolina at 94.

— Women’s fencing at 100 tied for first with Duke, Ohio State, Stanford and Temple.

— Women’s golf at 100 tied for first with 15 other schools.

— Women’s lacrosse at 100 tied for first with Duke and Stanford.

— Women’s tennis at 100 tied for first with 18 other schools.

— Softball at 100 tied for first with Michigan, Penn State, Stanford and UCLA.

— Men’s fencing at 100 tied for first with Stanford.

— Men’s golf at 100 ranked tied for first with 14 other schools.

— Men’s tennis at 100 tied for first with eight other schools.

— Men’s lacrosse at 100 finished–followed by Duke (95).

— Men’s hockey at 82 ranked first–followed by Miami (Ohio) at 79.

— Baseball at 84 ranked second behind Stanford (86).

— Men’s basketball at 83 ranked tied for third (with Kent State) behind North Texas and Northwestern (both at 86).

— Men’s swimming at 95 stood tied for third (with North Carolina) behind Duke (100) and Stanford (96).

— Women’s soccer at 95 ranked fourth (tied with Illinois, Vanderbilt and Washington)–behind Rutgers, Stanford and USC at 100.

— Men’s soccer at 87 ranked tied for fourth (with Pittsburgh), behind Stanford and Northwestern (both at 100) and Michigan State (88).

— Women’s cross country/track and field at 94 ranked fifth behind Boston College, Northwestern and Rutgers (all at 100) and Temple (at 95).

— Women’s volleyball at 92 stood sixth (tied with nine other schools) behind Duke, Iowa, Miami (Ohio) and Stanford (all at 100) and Purdue (93).

— Football at 79 ranked tied for seventh (with Clemson) behind Northwestern and Stanford (both at 92), Duke and Rice (both at 85), Wake Forest (83) and Appalachian State (80).