Nine Clemson Programs Have Perfect 100 Percent Graduation Rate

Dec. 20, 2005

Nine of Clemson’s 15 sports programs scored a perfect 100 percent graduation rate according to the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) figures announced by the NCAA on December 19. Clemson ranked seventh in the nation among the 119 Division I-A institutions in percentage of programs with a perfect 100 percent score.

The Graduation Success Rate (GSR) was created to more accurately reflect actual graduation rates by including transfer data in the calculation. Schools are not penalized for student-athletes who transfer to other schools before the end of their eligibility. Student-athletes who turn professional are also not counted against the institution. The study took into account scholarship student-athletes who entered institutions over a four-year period from 1995-98.

Notre Dame had the highest percentage of its programs with a 100 percent graduation rate with 16 of 20. The United States Naval Academy was second with 15/19 or 78.9 percent. Northwestern was third (13/18), Duke was fourth (15/21), Illinois was fifth (12/17) and SMU was sixth (9/14). Clemson was seventh, followed by Rice and Vanderbilt.

The Clemson programs who posted perfect 100 percentage graduation rates were men’s golf, baseball, men’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s track, women’s soccer, women’s swimming, women’s tennis and volleyball. Every Clemson program that existed when the student began in 1995 had at least a 75 percent GSR.

While the Clemson football program did not have a 100 percent rate, it did have a 94 percent figure. That figure was second among the 25 schools ranked in the top 25 of the final regular season USA Today poll. Further research on Tuesday revealed that the Clemson football program ranked fourth among all Division I-A institutions. The only schools that were higher were the United States Naval Academy (98 percent), Notre Dame (96 percent) and Wake Forest (96 percent). Clemson ranked ahead of Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Stanford, Rice and Duke.

Division I InstitutionsHighest Percentage of 100 Percent GSR/All Sport

Rk School 100/Sports Percent 1. Notre Dame 16/20 .800 2. Naval Academy 15/19 .789 3. Northwestern 13/18 .722 4. Duke 15/21 .714 5. Illinois 12/17 .706 6. SMU 9/14 .643 7. Clemson 9/15 .600 8. Rice 7/12 .583 Vanderbilt 7/12 .583 10. Central Florida 8/14 .571 Wake Forest 8/14 .571

All Division I-A Football Institutions Rk School Rate 1. US Naval Academy 98% 2. Notre Dame 96% Wake Forest 96% 4. Clemson 94% 5. Vanderbilt 93% 6. Northwestern 92% 7. Stanford 92% 8. Air Force 91% 9. US Military Academy 91% 10. Boston College 89% Rice 89% Data Source: ncaa.org