USF Athletics

Bulls Post Better Than 82 Percent Graduation Success Rate for Fifth Straight Year

November 14, 2018

TAMPA, NOV. 14, 2018 – University of South Florida student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom, as the Bulls posted an 84 percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in the latest data released by the NCAA on Wednesday.
 
The 84 percent graduation success rate for USF scholarship student-athletes over a six-year period, starting with freshmen that entered college in 2011-12, marked the second-best GSR score ever for USF and the athletic program's fifth straight year with a GSR of 82 percent or better.
 
"We are committed to building champions in the classroom, the community and in competition," USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly said. "I am very proud that USF student-athletes continue to perform at a very high level in the classroom. It is a testament to their hard work, the culture and commitment established by our coaches and the excellent support services provided by our Academic Services staff."
 
The 84 percent GSR was an improvement over last year's 82 percent mark. USF posted a record 86 percent GSR in 2016. Four programs posted a perfect 100 percent GSR and five posted a program record score. Ten of the Bulls' 14 evaluated programs posted a GSR of 80 percent or better and six women's programs had a 90 percent GSR score or better.
 
Programs posting a perfect 100 score included men's tennis, women's tennis, women's golf and softball. Both tennis programs won conference championships in 2017 and the softball team claimed the 2018 regular season conference title.
 
Head coach Ken Eriksen's softball program posted a 100 percent GSR score for the seventh straight time and ninth time in the 14 years of GSR reporting.  The women's tennis program under head coach Cristina Moros had a perfect GSR score for the fifth straight time and eighth time in program history.
 
The women's golf program under head coach Erika Brennan logged a 100 percent GSR for the third straight season and USF Athletics record 10^th time in program history. The men's tennis program under head coach Ashley Fisher posted a program record GSR score with its first ever 100 percent mark, which marked the fifth straight year with a rise in the program's GSR score.
 
Other highlights from the latest GSR report included the football program posting a 76 percent GSR, marking the second highest in program history behind the 82 percent posted in the 2016 report. The women's basketball program posted a 92 percent GSR, marking the sixth time in the last seven reports over 90 percent, while women's soccer logged a 92 percent score to mark its 10^th time in the last 11 reports over 90 percent.
 
"We are committed to providing high-level support services, resources and a top-level Academic Services staff to help ensure our student-athletes graduate and are prepared for the next phase in their lives," said Tim Anderson, associate director of athletics for academics. "The tremendous support of our administration, coaches and campus partners and the addition of top-level facilities, such as the Fishman Family Student-Athlete Enrichment Center, continues to help us ensure our student-athletes reach their goals."
 
USF has graduated more than 180 student-athletes in the last two years and has posted an overall annual department grade-point average in excess of 3.0 for the three straight years and seven straight semesters, marking a record run for USF Athletics.
 
Nearly 500 student-athletes posted a department record combined grade-point average of 3.11 in the 2018 spring academic period. Over 60 percent of USF student-athletes earned a 2018 spring term GPA above a 3.0 and 60 percent held a cumulative GPA over 3.0 following completion of the 2017-18 academic year.
 
The Graduation Success Rate provides data about the most recent six-year graduating class of student-athletes receiving athletics aid and entering college as freshmen in 2011-12.  The GSR is designed to show the proportion of student-athletes graduating within in a six-year window,  accounting for transferring student-athletes coming into the institution and student-athletes leaving the institution in good standing.

The most recent data is based on percentage of student-athletes who entered college in 2011 and earned a degree. The NCAA developed the Division I Graduation Success Rate in response to college and university presidents who wanted graduation data that more accurately reflect the mobility among all college students today. Both the Graduation Success Rate and the Academic Progress Rate account for the academic outcomes of student-athletes who transfer from one institution to another.

About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men's and women's teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls' athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 53^rd season in 2018-19. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 16 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including at least three in each of the last three seasons, and own 113 conference championships overall. Nine USF programs reached national post-season competition in the 2017-18 season and six were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for the third straight year in 2017-18 and have posted a program record seven straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0. USF has seen more than 180 student-athletes earn their degree in the last two years.

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