VILLANOVA, Pa.—In the latest set of Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data released by the NCAA on Wednesday afternoon, Villanova tied its highest mark ever with a 96 percent rate in the NCAA GSR method.  The newest release of academic data shows record-breaking achievement in the classroom by NCAA student-athletes, while Villanova continues to maintain its position among the nation's elite universities for its combination of excellence in the academic and athletic arenas. 
 
In this week's GSR release, Villanova had 11 of its athletic programs post a perfect 100 percent graduation success rate for the 2009-2012 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 four 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 across-the-board success of Wildcats student-athletes stands out even more under close examination of the latest GSR data.  Villanova tied for second among BIG EAST schools with 11 teams that achieved a perfect 100 percent GSR score, while every one of the 17 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 two men's basketball programs to achieve a 100 percent score.  The women's basketball team was one of seven conference programs with a 100 percent GSR score, but was one of only two from the group of seven to have a matching 100 percent score in the federal rate calculation.  Villanova had a 92 percent GSR score in football, seven percentage points higher than last year's rate and far exceeding the national average of 77 percent for FCS programs.  The football team's score of 92 percent is the third-highest among CAA Football schools.
 
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.  For the second straight year, Villanova led all Division I schools with the highest percentage of its athletic programs earning NCAA public recognition for having a multi-year APR score that ranked within the top 10 percent of its sport. 
 
During the past four academic years (2015-16 through 2018-19), the Wildcats won a combined 20 regular season and postseason BIG EAST championships.  Villanova had eight different sports advance to national postseason competition during the four-year stretch, including the men's basketball team winning two national titles in three years (2016, 2018).  The men's basketball, men's cross country and women's cross country programs all competed in the NCAA Tournament in 2018-19, while the women's basketball team earned a berth in the WNIT and advanced to national postseason competition for the 17^th time in the past 20 years.  The men's and women's track & field teams also qualified individual student-athletes for the NCAA Championships both indoors and outdoors during the past academic year.