Elon leads CAA in graduation success rate of student-athletes for sixth straight year

The NCAA recently announced the 2021-22 Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and Federal Graduation Rate data for all Division I institutions as part of the annual NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program.

This year’s Elon-specific data is highlighted by an overall single-year GSR of 97 percent, which leads the way for all Colonial Athletic Association institutions for the sixth year in a row. Additionally, nine programs earned a perfect 100 percent score. Those programs include:

• Men’s Basketball
• Men’s Cross Country
• Men’s Golf
• Women’s Basketball
• Women’s Lacrosse
• Women’s Soccer
• Softball
• Women’s Tennis
• Volleyball

Elon is one of two schools in the CAA in which every athletic program achieved a GSR of 83 percent or higher.

“I am continually proud of the commitment that our student-athletes display in achieving both academic and athletic success,” said Director of Athletics Dave Blank. “They consistently strive to be the best they can be both in and out of our competition venues. The 2022 Graduation Success Rate report shows the drive that Elon student-athletes possess to succeed in both arenas. It’s also a great testament to the invaluable mentorship and support our coaches, staff, and faculty provide on a daily basis.”

Other highlights include:

• The Elon men’s basketball program earned a perfect GSR of 100 percent for the ninth-consecutive year. Since joining the CAA in 2014-15, Elon is the only school in the conference to have had a 100 percent GSR every year.
• The Elon women’s basketball program was one of five CAA schools with a 100 percent GSR. Overall, this year marks the eighth-straight year Elon women’s basketball has had a GSR percentage of 90 or above.
• The Elon football team’s 95-percent GSR is second in the Colonial Athletic Association and ranks 11th among all FCS programs. This is the fifth-consecutive year that the team has been above 95 percent.
• Elon baseball’s 97 percent GSR leads the conference and marks the sixth-consecutive year above 90 percent.
• Women’s tennis earned a 100 percent GSR in the latest report, marking the eighth-straight year the program earned a perfect score.
• Women’s volleyball recorded a perfect 100 percent GSR. This year marks the 13th time since 2005 that the program has recorded a perfect score.
• Women’s soccer recorded a 100 percent GSR this year. Since 2005, the Elon women’s soccer program has recorded a GSR of 93 or higher every year, including a perfect 100 percent on eight occasions.
• The Elon men’s cross country team recorded a perfect 100 percent score and the women’s cross country and track and field programs earned a 96 percent score in the latest report. It marks the eighth-straight year the men’s program has earned a 100 percent. The women’s team has now been above 95 percent in every GSR release to date.
• Men’s golf earned a perfect 100 percent GSR in the latest report, marking the fourth- consecutive year the program earned a 100 percent.
• The softball team earned a perfect 100 percent GSR. This is the fourth year since 2014 that the program recorded a perfect score.
• The third class in the women’s lacrosse program history earned another perfect 100 percent GSR.

The GSR measures graduation rates of scholarship student-athletes at Division I institutions. It includes those transferring into the institutions. The GSR also allows institutions to subtract student-athletes who leave their institutions prior to graduation, as long as they would have been academically eligible to compete had they remained. The 2021-22 rates are based on the entering classes from 2012-15.

The NCAA’s GSR was developed in response to a mandate by college and university presidents for graduation data that more accurately reflects the mobility among today’s college students. Both rates improve on the federally mandated graduation rate by including students who were omitted from the federal calculation.