Posted: Nov 17, 2020

Bryant student-athletes among best in the nation

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University student-athletes continue to distinguish themselves in the classroom, graduating at rates well above their conference and national peers, according to information released Tuesday by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The annual report, issued by the NCAA, revealed a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 93 percent, compared to a national average of 90 percent for all Division I institutions.

Bryant's 93 percent graduation rate marks the sixth-straight year the department's number has been above 92. The Bulldogs are also tied with Long Island University and Wagner for the highest overall GSR in the NEC.

Of Bryant's 18 varsity sports (cross country and track and field are considered one sport in GSR), 10 achieved perfect 100 GSR scores, more than any other program in the NEC. The teams that achieved perfect scores are men's basketball, men's golf, men's soccer, men's tennis, men's cross country/track and field, women's basketball, softball, women's soccer, women's cross country/track and field and women's volleyball.

Bryant highlights from the NCAA report

Bryant achieved an overall GSR of 93 percent, three points above the national average of 90. It is the seventh-straight year the Bulldogs have been above 90 percent.
10 Bryant team achieved a perfect GSR of 100: men's basketball, golf, tennis, soccer, cross country/track and field and women's basketball, softball, soccer, cross country/track and field and volleyball.
6 Bryant teams achieved a GSR that was at least 10 points above the national average for their sport (men's basketball +26, men's cross country/track and field +27, men's golf +10, men's soccer +24, football +16, baseball +11).
Bryant's football program posted a GSR of 95, the highest in the NEC and 18th among all Division I football institutions. The Bulldogs are 16th among Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools.
Bryant men's and women's basketball both posted perfect 100 GSRs for the third-straight year.
Softball has had a perfect graduation rate for eight-straight years, men's golf has been at 100 for eight-straight years and volleyball has been perfect for seven consecutive years.

The Division I Board of Directors created the GSR in response to Division I college and university presidents who wanted data that more accurately reflected the mobility of college students than the federal graduation rate. The federal rate counts any student who leaves a school as an academic failure, no matter whether he or she enrolls at another school. Also, the federal rate does not recognize students who enter school as transfer students.

The GSR formula removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere. This calculation makes it a more complete and accurate look at student-athlete success. The federal graduation rate, however, remains the only measure to compare student-athletes with the general student body.