NCAA Release
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Nine University of Illinois athletics programs earned perfect Graduation Success Rate (GSR) scores, as part of Thursday's GSR and Federal Graduation Rate (FGS) reports released by the NCAA. The Fighting Illini earned an overall GSR of 95, a new University of Illinois record during the 17-year history of the report. Illinois' mark of 95 also ranks tied for third among its Big Ten peers.
"I'm extremely proud to see that our GSR has reached historic heights for the third 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 2011-2014 cohort, ending with freshmen that began at the University of Illinois in 2014-15. Data is calculated after student-athletes are given six years to graduate following their first-time enrollment at a given university.
OVERALL GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE |
Year |
Graduation Success Rate |
Federal Graduation Rate |
2014 |
95 |
81 |
2013 |
94 |
77 |
2012 |
92 |
77 |
2011 |
91 |
77 |
2010 |
88 |
74 |
2009 |
87 |
75 |
2008 |
87 |
75 |
2007 |
88 |
76 |
2006 |
90 |
77 |
2005 |
89 |
74 |
2004 |
89 |
74 |
2003 |
86 |
70 |
2002 |
84 |
69 |
2001 |
86 |
71 |
2000 |
88 |
70 |
1999 |
88 |
71 |
1998 |
90 |
71 |
The nine Illini programs that posted perfect GSR scores of 100 were baseball, men's golf, men's tennis, women's basketball, women's golf, women's gymnastics, softball, women's tennis, and volleyball. Another six programs scored 90 or higher - swimming and diving (96), soccer (94), women's cross country/track (94), wrestling (93), men's gymnastics (92), and football (91).
SPORT-BY-SPORT GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE |
Sport |
Graduation Success Rate |
Federal Graduation Rate |
Baseball |
100 |
65 |
Men's Basketball |
89 |
54 |
Men's Cross Country/Track |
87 |
72 |
Football |
91 |
79 |
Men's Golf |
100 |
75 |
Men's Gymnastics |
92 |
91 |
Men's Tennis |
100 |
100 |
Wrestling |
93 |
81 |
Women's Basketball |
100 |
57 |
Women's Cross Country/ Track |
94 |
80 |
Women's Golf |
100 |
100 |
Women's Gymnastics |
100 |
92 |
Soccer |
94 |
82 |
Softball |
100 |
78 |
Swimming & Diving |
96 |
100 |
Women's Tennis |
100 |
100 |
Women's Volleyball |
100 |
100 |
GSR HIGHLIGHTS
» 16 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 17 years since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort). Illinois is one of five perfect GSRs among Big Ten women's gymnastics programs.
» Men's golf posted its 10th straight GSR of 100 and 11th overall since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort). Illinois is one of six perfect GSRs among Big Ten men's golf programs.
» Women's basketball posted its eighth straight GSR of 100 and ninth since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort). Illinois is one of nine perfect GSRs among Big Ten women's basketball programs.
» Women's tennis posted its seventh straight GSR of 100 and ninth since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort). Illinois is one of 12 perfect GSRs among Big Ten women's tennis programs.
» Baseball posted its sixth straight GSR of 100, and sixth overall since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort). Illinois is one of four perfect GSRs among Big Ten baseball programs.
» Softball posted its fifth straight GSR of 100, and 13th overall since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort). Illinois is one of eight perfect GSRs among Big Ten softball programs.
» Women's golf posted its third consecutive GSR of 100 and 13th overall since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort). Illinois is one of 13 perfect GSRs among Big Ten women's golf programs.
» Volleyball posted its third straight GSR of 100 and sixth overall since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort). Illinois is one of nine perfect GSRs among Big Ten volleyball programs.
» Men's tennis (100) scored a perfect GSR for the first time in 11 years (2003 cohort), and the seventh time overall since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort). Illinois is one of 10 perfect GSRs among Big Ten men's tennis programs.
» Football (91) scored its highest in the 17-year history of the report, well above the national average of 80. Illinois ranked tied for 37th among all 256 NCAA Division I football programs, and tied for 12th among members of the Football Bowl Subdivision Power 5.
» Men's basketball (89) scored 80 or better for the fourth-consecutive year, and five points above of the national average of 84.
» Men's cross country/track and field (87) scored above the national average of 84.
» Soccer (94) has scored a GSR at or above 90 in all 17 years since the report began in 2005 (198 cohort).
» Wrestling (93) scored its highest in nine years (2006 cohort) and well above the national average of 82.
» Women's cross country/track has posted a GSR at or above 90 in all 17 years since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort).
» Women's swimming and diving has posted a GSR at or above 96 in all 17 years since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort).
» Men's gymnastics (92) posted its highest GSR in six years dating back to 2015 (2008 cohort) and has posted a GSR of 88 or better in all 17 years since the report began in 2005 (1998 cohort).
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.