Mustang Student Athletes Shine In NCAA Graduation Success Rates

INDIANAPOLIS (NCAA/SMU) — Seven of SMU's 15 teams rated a perfect 100 percent and the Mustangs' men's basketball and football teams ranked in the top three among Conference USA schools in Graduation Success Rates (GSR) according to data released by the NCAA today.

Programs that scored 100 percent were men's and women's tennis, volleyball, women's basketball, women's soccer, cross country and track. In addition, all 15 of SMU's programs rated by the NCAA were equal to or better than the national average. While SMU sponsors 17 sports, the NCAA issues a GSR for 15 of its programs, combining track and cross country and not rating SMU's equestrian program.

Among Conference USA schools, the SMU football team ranked third, while men's basketball rated second.

The GSR is a different measure from the graduation rate previously used by the NCAA. The GSR is an NCAA measurement that improves on the federally-mandated graduation-rate by including transfer data in the calculation. It was developed in response to college and university presidents who wanted graduation data that more accurately reflect the mobility among students in today's higher education climate. It does not count against an institution whose student-athletes enroll and then leave while eligible, but it does give credit for those who transfer into the institution and ultimately earn a degree.

The data is from the four-class aggregate of entering classes from 2000 through 2003, for which the NCAA has compiled sport-by-sport GSR and the comparable graduation rate using the federally mandated methodology.

SMU, the only Division I athletic program in Dallas, Texas, sponsors 17 sports and has been ranked as the top school in its conference for 11 of the last 13 years in the Director's Cup overall athletic rankings. More information about SMU and its coaches, student-athletes and teams is available at www.SMUMustangs.com .

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