IRVINE, Calif. -- Division I student-athletes continue to graduate at their highest rate in the 20 years the data has been tracked, according to the latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate data announced Wednesday. The overall single-cohort rate increased by one point to 91 percent, which is the highest rate recorded, and The Big West has a multitude of teams and member-institutions surpassing the federal averages.
 
A total of 77 teams in Big West-sponsored sports meet or exceed the 90 percent threshold and 40 teams across the conference landscape reached the 100 percent mark for the 2016 cohort of student-athletes. 
 
“Student-athletes in The Big West don’t just excel on their fields of play. Their excellence extends to the classrooms of world-class institutions and to the communities they help to build during their time on campus,” Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly said. “We celebrate the 40 teams across our 11-member institutions with an annual graduation success rate of 100 and all of the dedicated student-athletes who are doing the hard work become champions in life."
 
All 11 member-institutions saw at least one program reach the highest levels of academic success. UC San Diego led the way with seven, followed by Cal Poly and Long Beach State with five. UC Irvine and UC Riverside had four each.  
 
By sport, eight women’s tennis programs are at the highwater mark to pace The Big West. Men's golf had seven perfect marks, followed by women’s volleyball with six. Also earning 100 percent GSRs were five men’s tennis, three softball, two men’s basketball, two women’s basketball, two women’s cross country/track & field, two women’s golf, two women’s water polo and one men’s soccer teams.
 
Overall, UC San Diego’s GSR of 98 topped The Big West. Cal Poly (94), UC Davis (93) and UC Santa Barbara (93) also exceeded the 90 percent threshold.
 

"The NCAA's mission is to provide a world-class athletics and academic experience for student-athletes that fosters lifelong well-being," NCAA President Charlie Baker said. "These record graduation rates illustrate the tremendous academic accomplishments of NCAA student-athletes and further emphasize the importance of the national office working with members to create outstanding educational experiences and opportunities for these remarkable young men and women."

Figures released Wednesday reflect graduation numbers among student-athletes who entered college in 2016. The NCAA has tracked GSR for more than two decades, and student-athletes have surpassed the original benchmark goal of 80%, with long-term graduation rate increases being observed year after year from an overall 74 percent in 2002 to this year's record 91 percent.  

Since its inception more than 20 years ago, Graduation Success Rates for Division I student-athletes overall have increased 16 points, with even larger percentage increases for Black and Hispanic/Latinx student-athletes. Female student-athletes continue to outperform their male counterparts, currently graduating at a rate of 95 percent.  Even when using the less-inclusive federal graduation rate which does not take transfer students into account, college athletes graduate at a higher rate than the general student body.