VILLANOVA, Pa.—In a new release of NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data on Wednesday afternoon, an overall score of 98 percent continues to rank Villanova Athletics among the elite Division I schools in America for its combination of athletic and academic excellence. Villanova was one of 23 schools to post a score of 98 percent or higher in the most recent data.
The overall score of 98 percent matches the highest among BIG EAST schools and puts Villanova in a class of prestigious universities which includes six Ivy League schools along with other elite academic institutions such as Georgetown, Bucknell and Northwestern. Wednesday's release consisted of the 2014-2017 cohort, meaning student-athletes who entered college during those years and graduated within six years.
Of particular note for the Wildcats in the latest data is 14 varsity programs who achieved a perfect 100 percent GSR score. For the second straight year, each of the 10 women's varsity programs to record a score had a perfect GSR of 100 percent. Those teams were women's basketball, women's cross country/track & field, field hockey, women's lacrosse, rowing, women's soccer, softball, women's swimming & diving, volleyball and water polo. There were also four men's varsity programs with a perfect 100 percent score, including baseball, men's basketball, men's cross country/track & field and men's soccer.
The across-the-board success of Villanova student-athletes looks even more impressive under closer examination. In the high-profile sports of men's and women's basketball, the Wildcats are one of just two BIG EAST schools to have each of those teams post a 100 percent score. Additionally, two sports – women's cross country/track & field and women's swimming & diving – had a perfect 100 percent GSR in both the NCAA and the federal rate calculation.
The NCAA GSR differs from the federal 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.
Villanova's football program – currently 8-3 on the season and in pursuit of a second straight FCS playoff berth – recorded an NCAA GSR of 95 percent. It is the fourth consecutive year that the Wildcats have posted a score of 95 percent or higher. Villanova is one of two CAA Football programs with a score of at least 95 and also has the highest score among league membership (88 percent) in the federal rate calculation.
Wednesday's release by the NCAA held steady at 91 percent for Division I student-athletes, matching the all-time record first set last year. The single-cohort GSR has steadily increased in the 20-plus years the NCAA GSR has been tracked. Since its inception, Graduation Success Rates for Division student-athletes have increased by 17 points.
Since the start of the 2019-20 academic year, the Wildcats have won a combined 19 regular season and postseason conference championships. Villanova teams have made 20 national postseason appearances during that time, including the softball team making its deepest run into NCAA regional play after winning its third BIG EAST title in four seasons. The women's basketball team reached the WBIT championship game earlier this year, while the men's and women's track & field teams combined for nine All-America honors at the 2024 indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships.
