Division I student-athletes earn degrees at a high pace, according to the latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data announced Wednesday. The Big West had a multitude of teams and member-institutions surpassing the federal averages, with the single-cohort rate for the conference at 89 percent.

From the 2018 cohort of student-athletes, a total of 100 teams in Big West-sponsored sports met or exceeded the 90 percent threshold, an increase from 86 last year. The Big West also saw 51 teams across the league landscape reach the 100 percent mark, an improvement from 41 last year.

“Academic excellence is a pillar of The Bold West, and our student-athletes continue to deliver,” said Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly. “With 100 teams achieving a Graduation Success Rate of 90 percent or better and 51 earning a perfect score, our programs once again proved that championship performance begins in the classroom. We are proud of these remarkable student-athletes and the campuses that empower them to succeed long after the final whistle.”

All 11 member-institutions saw at least one program reach the highest levels of academic success. UC San Diego led the way with 10, followed by UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara with six apiece. Cal Poly and UC Irvine had five each. By sport, nine women’s tennis programs were at the highwater mark to lead The Big West. Men's golf followed with seven and women’s volleyball with six.

Overall, the conference’s men’s basketball GSR went up from 71 percent last year to 88 percent in this year’s data, which ranks ninth amongst national conferences.

Figures released Wednesday reflect graduation numbers among student-athletes who entered college in 2018. 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 90 percent in 2025.  

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.