NCAA Release

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Nine University of Illinois athletics programs earned perfect Graduation Success Rate (GSR) scores, as part of Tuesday's GSR and Federal Graduation Rate (FGS) reports released by the NCAA. The Fighting Illini earned an overall GSR of 94, a new University of Illinois record during the 16-year history of the report. Illinois' mark of 94 also ranks tied for second among its Big Ten peers. 

"I'm extremely proud to see that our GSR has reached historic heights for the second consecutive year," said Director of Athletics Josh Whitman. "These figures highlight the accomplishments of our student-athletes who are committed to pursuing a world-class education at the University of Illinois. I also want to recognize the hard work and dedication of the many coaches, staff, and administrators that support their efforts on a daily basis. It is truly outstanding accomplishment for all Fighting Illini."

The data is based on the 2010-2013 cohort, ending with freshmen that began at the University of Illinois in 2013-14. Data is calculated after student-athletes are given six years to graduate following their first-time enrollment at a given university.

The nine Illini programs that posted perfect GSR scores of 100 were baseball, men's golf, women's basketball, women's golf, women's gymnastics, softball, swimming and diving, women's tennis, and volleyball. Another three programs scored 90 or higher - women's cross country/track and field (95), soccer (94), and football (90).

GSR HIGHLIGHTS

» 14 of 17 Illini programs scored at or above the Division I average GSR for their respective sport.
» Women's gymnastics has posted a GSR of 100 in all 16 years since the report began in 1998.
» Men's golf posted its ninth straight GSR of 100 and ninth since the report began in 1998.
» Women's basketball posted its seventh straight GSR of 100 and eighth since the report began in 1998.
» Women's tennis posted its sixth straight GSR of 100 and eighth since the report began in 1998.
» Baseball posted its fifth straight GSR of 100 and fifth since the report began in 1998. Illinois is one of only three perfect GSRs among Big Ten baseball programs.
» Women's swimming and diving posted its fifth straight GSR of 100 and 12th since the report began in 1998. The program has had a GSR over 96 every year since the report began.
» Softball posted its 10th GSR of 100 since the report began in 1998 and its fourth in a row. Illinois is one of eight Big Ten softball programs to earn a 100.
» Women's golf posted its second-consecutive GSR of 100 and 12th since the report began in 1998.
» Volleyball posted its second straight GSR of 100 and fifth since the report began in 1998.
» Football (90) scored its highest in the 16-year history of the report, well above the national average of 80. Illinois ranked tied for 38th among all 254 NCAA Division I football programs, and 11th among members of the Football Bowl Subdivision Power 5. 
» Men's basketball scored 80 or better for the third-consecutive year. 
» Men's cross country/track and field (86) scored above the national average of 83. 
» Soccer (94) scored at the national average of 94. 
» Men's basketball (90) scored its highest in six years (2006 cohort) and scored above the national average of 83. 
» Wrestling (87) scored its highest in seven years (2006 cohort) and scored above the national average of 81. 
» Women's cross country/track has posted a GSR at or above 90 in all 15 years since the report began in 1998. 
» Men's tennis (88) scored 88 or better for the second-consecutive year and the eighth time since the report began in 1998.
» Men's gymnastics (89) has posted a GSR of 88 or better in all 16 years since the report began in 1998.

FGR vs. GSR

GSR begins with the federal cohort, and adds transfer students, midyear enrollees, and non-scholarship students (in specified cases) to the sample. Student-athletes who leave an institution while in good academic standing before exhausting athletics eligibility are removed from the cohort of their initial institution. This rate provides a more complete and accurate look at actual student-athlete success by taking into account the full variety of participants in Division I athletics and tracking their academic outcomes. 

FGR assesses only first-time full-time freshmen in a given cohort and only counts them as academic successes if they graduate from their institution of initial enrollment within a six-year period. It makes no accommodation for transfers into or out of an institution. The rate is very limited because it ignores the large number of transfer students in higher education, but it is still the only rate that allows a direct comparison between student-athletes and the general student-body.