Oct. 4, 2007

DEKALB, Ill. -- Wednesday's release of the 2007 NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) illustrates one simple fact in regard to the Huskie athletic program: Northern Illinois University is graduating its student-athletes.

According to the figures released Wednesday by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NIU student-athletes overall graduate at a rate which ranks well above the national average.

Northern Illinois' latest GSR report, based on the 1997-2000 cohorts, lists 10 of NIU's 15 Huskie teams (the NCAA combines women's indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country) with a graduation success rate above 88 percent, while no group is below 67 percent. Eleven Northern Illinois squads, including men's basketball (73 percent), football (67 percent) and women's basketball (88 percent) boast a Graduation Success Rate at or above the national average for that sport.

"Along with the improvements in our Academic Progress Rate [every Huskie team exceeded the required standards set by the NCAA last year], and the four straight 3.0 semesters compiled by our 467 young people, this is another indication that our student-athletes are successfully fulfilling their academic goals at Northern Illinois University," said Dr. Jim Phillips, NIU Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics. "Graduation has been and will continue to be the number one goal for every student-athlete that comes to NIU and we are extremely proud of these results."

The NCAA developed the GSR three years ago to more accurately assess long-term student-athlete academic success. The GSR differs from the federally-mandated graduation rate in that it counts transfers into and out of an institution. Data show the GSR includes 36 percent more student-athletes than the federal graduation rate. The NCAA continues to provide the federal rate, though, since there is no comparable rate to the GSR for the general student body.

Women's tennis and softball led the way in the 2007 GSR for Northern Illinois with both squads achieving a 100 percent number. Women's soccer was not far behind at 95 percent, followed by volleyball (92), women's gymnastics (91) and women's track and field/cross country (90). The top NIU men's team was men's soccer at 90 percent.

"The goal is to continue to build on our recent academic successes, while ensuring that Northern Illinois student-athletes develop to their fullest potential athletically and socially as well," Phillips said. "All three components are critical in providing the world-class experience that is the cornerstone of our department."

Nationally, 77 percent of all student-athletes who began college from 1997-2000 graduated within six years as the rate remained unchanged from last year. The overall Division I graduation success rate for men's basketball was 61 percent, for football (FBS schools) 67 percent and for women's basketball 81 percent.

Figures released include overall GSR data at the national level for all Division I student-athletes and nationally for each sport. In addition, the figures include team GSR and federal graduation rate data for every sports team at every Division I institution. Overall GSR and federal graduation rate data per institution (including data reported by ethnicity) will be released later this month.

-- NIU --