VILLANOVA, Pa.—A new set of data on the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of Division I athletics programs was released on Wednesday afternoon and Villanova continues to rank among the best in the nation in this measure of academic performance. Graduation Success Rates nationwide once again set new records in the latest reveal of student-athlete achievement, and with an overall 94 percent GSR the Wildcats continue to be ahead of the curve when compared to the national averages.
In the release of new data this week, Villanova had 12 of its athletic programs post a perfect 100 percent GSR for the 2008-2011 cohort. This data measures the percentage of student-athletes who entered college on institutional aid (whether athletics-based aid or otherwise) between those years and graduated within six years. Villanova had seven women's programs and five men's programs earn a 100 percent GSR in the release. The NCAA GSR differs from the federal graduation rate calculation in two important ways. First, the GSR holds colleges accountable for those student-athletes who transfer into their school. Second, the GSR does not penalize colleges whose student-athletes transfer in good academic standing.
The success of Wildcats student-athletes across-the-board stands out even more under closer examination of the latest GSR data. Villanova ranked second among BIG EAST schools with 12 teams that achieved a perfect 100 percent GSR score, while every one of the 19 Villanova programs to have a score in the latest data matched or exceeded the national average for their sport. The Wildcats also performed particularly well in the high-profile sports of men's and women's basketball and football.
Villanova earned a perfect 100 percent GSR score in both men's and women's basketball. Among BIG EAST schools the Wildcats were one of three men's basketball teams to achieve a perfect 100 percent score. The Wildcats women's basketball team was one of six BIG EAST programs with a 100 percent GSR score, but was the only one from that group to have a matching 100 percent score in the federal graduation rate calculation. Villanova had an 85 percent GSR score in football, matching last year's data and far exceeding the national average of 76 percent for FCS programs. The Wildcats score of 85 percent is the third-highest among CAA Football programs.
The nationwide NCAA GSR scores, as well as the previous release of Academic Progress Rate (APR) information in the spring, showed the highest rates ever of academic success by Division I student-athletes. Villanova remains in the upper echelon of schools nationwide for its academic performance even while the Wildcats teams continue to succeed in athletic competition.
During the past four academic years (2014-15 through 2017-18), the Wildcats won a combined 20 BIG EAST team titles and had eight different sports advance to national postseason competition. In 2017-18 alone, the men's basketball team won its second national title in three years. The women's basketball, women's cross country and men's lacrosse programs also competed in the NCAA Tournament in 2017-18, while men's cross country and both men's and women's track & field had individual qualifiers for the NCAA Championships.
Villanova Programs Earning a 100 Percent Graduation Success Rate (2008-2011 Cohorts)
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Field Hockey
Golf
Rowing
Men's Soccer
Men's Swimming & Diving
Women's Swimming & Diving
Men's Tennis
Volleyball
Water Polo
